Social Strategic Partnerships

WWF Partnership

Hima Cement is in partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to support farmers in Kasese district in promoting sustainable land management practices through the Payment for Watershed Management Services Scheme in the River Mubuku watershed.

The projects aims to:

• Improve livelihoods

• Reduce soil erosion and improve soil nutrients through construction of soil and water conservation structures

• Increase land cover through planting of timber and fruit tree species

• Protect River Mubuku through strengthening of the river banks and preventing flooding.  

• The partnership benefits 204 farmers covering over 200 hectares of farm land.

Hima Cement Coffee Project

In 2011, Hima Cement started the Hima Coffee Development Project to support local coffee producing communities in Kasese and Kamwenge districts towards poverty alleviation and economic growth. The company committed to provide 16.8 million seedlings to farmers. This would in turn go a long way in ensuring sustainable access to renewable energy for the Hima Plant which uses over 56% biomass as alternative fuel.

• Hima Cement offers financing for seedlings which are purchased at a cost of 300 ugx/seedling. The farmer contributes 50ugx for each seedling.

• The Project has so far distributed 16.8 million coffee seedlings from year 2012 to date

• Over 60,000 farmers have benefitted from the project so far

• Income to the farmers expected to be at €27M by year 2020 from the project.

• 30kt of coffee husks is to be received by year 2020 which is approximately 20% of Hima Cement energy requirement.

• Hima Plant is sustaining its biomass substitution at 56% thus reducing carbon footprint.

• Coffee processing facilities have opened in the districts resulting in more jobs in the region.

The project is implemented through key stakeholders; three local Farmers Associations- Bukonzo Joint Cooperative, Micro Finance Society Limited (BJC), Kamwenge District Farmers Organization (KADIFO), Kasese District Farmers Association (KADIFA) – grow the seed beds and help to mobilize and distribute the seedlings to farmers.

SOS Partnerhsip in Harugongo to improve household incomes through agribusiness

Hima Cement in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Fort Portal joined hands to launch a Livelihood Development Project in Harugongo Sub County.

The project aims at improving the people's livelihoods through supporting viable Income Generating Activities (IGAs) and Village Savings and Lending Associations (VSLAs) and also has a component of community health care interventions through community health outreach programs.

• To support viable income generating activities and sustainable livelihood initiatives aimed at reducing impact of poverty by strengthening the capacities of 60 households to have increased income, food security and improved nutrition.

• Provision of high yielding varieties cabbages, onions and tomatoes seeds as well as farm tools to further improve self-reliance

• Formation of the Community savings and credit structures (Village Savings and Lending Associations) 10 groups were formed, each comprising 30 members and covering 300 households.

• The SOS Medical team will be conducting community outreaches across the parishes in Harugongo where health education and treatment of minor illnesses will be carried out.