Children crossing the outfield at Serenity Oval under shade trees

Grow a Future Coming

A coffee tree today. School fees tomorrow.

Coffee and cocoa seedlings for the families of the villages around Serenity Oval, so a steady crop income keeps their children in school and in cricket.

How it works

Why crops

School fees come from the garden

A seedling being planted at Serenity Oval
Tree planting at Serenity Oval.

Most families around Serenity Oval farm small plots. When money runs short, children, especially girls, leave school.

Coffee and cocoa are cash crops that earn for decades. A family with productive trees has a reason, and the means, to keep its children in class and on the field.

How it works

From seedling to school fees

Every planting is tracked, and every donor sees where their trees went.

  1. Families sign up

    Families of CFD players first, then neighbouring households. Each commits to keeping its children in school and training.

  2. Donors fund the seedlings

    Visiting teams and donors pay for certified seedlings. Wild Cricket Safaris guests plant them with the family on a village visit.

  3. Families are trained

    An agriculture partner teaches planting, shade, pruning and pest control, and checks the trees at 3, 6 and 12 months.

  4. Every planting is recorded

    Each planting is tagged and photographed. The donor receives the photo, the village name and a 12-month update.

  5. A cooperative follows

    In phase two, a farmer cooperative and a buy-back scheme help families get a fair price at harvest.

Timing

A long-term investment, not quick relief

Tree crops take years to produce. Quick shade crops, such as bananas and beans, give families food and income while the trees grow.

Year 0

Seedlings planted with shade crops. Training begins.

Year 1

Bananas and beans harvested. Tree checks at 3, 6 and 12 months.

Years 2–3

First Robusta coffee crop, usually after about 2–3 years.

Years 3–4

First cocoa crop, usually after about 3–4 years.

Then

Decades of harvests. Cooperative and buy-back.

What we measure

  • Families enrolled
  • Seedlings planted
  • Tree survival at 12 months
  • Children of enrolled families in school
  • Family income at first harvest

Crop choice for each plot is agreed with the Mpigi District Agricultural Officer. Robusta coffee is the traditional crop of central Uganda; cocoa needs warm, humid ground and shade, so it suits only some plots.