Are you part of the change you are causing!

Many a times have health professionals preached water and drank wine. With this, I imply the infamous notion of “do as I say not as I do!” I was nearly victim to this vice over the beet root project. While I read about the great dietetic values of beet root, I got the idea that it will be a viable and incredible project that would help avert the nutrition insecurity in the refugee settlement. I had as well heard stories and testimonies of the wonders of this tuber. Much as I was excited and optimistic about this new innovation, I couldn’t stop thinking about why I should not introduce beet root to my home too. First, I definitely had to figure out where I would purchase the seeds and then learn how to plant, harvest and prepare this delicacy. The journey began when I purchased a tin of seeds from one farm supply store in my home town in Masaka during the Christmas festive season. I then had to prepare a seed bed but had to leave it under the care of my parents while I returned to work. I had to learn more about how the preparation of this tuber for consumption is done. Actually, this ‘home project’ was yet to become an experiment ,I guess this is what they call action research. Story cut short, after 3 months when I returned home for the Easter holiday, guess what I found! I had to commend my parents for the great farming expertise they portrayed on this project work. I could not hide the excitement when I saw the green flourishing vegetable garden from a distance. Every inch I got closer to the beetroot garden, the wider my smile grew. That was my first ever moment to see live beetroot plants.

On Easter, we harvested 2 beets to experiment with them! We however woke up to the reality that our home blender had gotten damaged, the blending of the beets had to be mechanical. We trimmed the tuber in to smaller hand-crushable pieces and did it great service. This made a tasty deep-red coloured passion fruit-pineapple- beet cocktail. I am serious to say that even the last drop of that cocktail was drank; for it was the best juice we had ever had in decades. We obviously steamed the beet foliage after trimming it in smaller pieces. It was super-tasty! By the time I left home, no juice went without a beet punch! I had labored to inform my entire family about the values that come with the consumption of beet root and left everyone dumbfounded by the wonders of this plant. 

I am so happy that I have helped my family live the change I want to see in other people’s families. I guess it really is fulfilling to support and promote the change you are implementing by as well being part of it or lest you will “preach water and drink wine.”