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When a person only has a stick he cannotThe residue of malted graindefend his animals, so now the cattle stay inis food for young children.kraals protected by the army. The animals haveWomen can make a lot ofnothing to graze near to the kraal. When evenmoney selling brew to peoplethe far grass is exhausted the kraal must movefrom their villages.and army must come too. It takes negotiationbecause the army needs a borehole and a roadfor the troops. Disarmament targeted the youthand it was a very big issue for us.People say that a cow is more important thanmoney. They say this because with the cow youwill get everything. You will get milk, butter andmeat. You get dung for building and cookingfuel. You get dowry, friendships and celebrations.There is nothing you need to go and buyin the market. Even when you just look at thecow, it is like looking at everything – life.The nature of the soil makes a difference. Forexample in Iriiri the soil is fertile, so it workswell for gardens. In Moroto the soil is not suitablefor farming and gardens do not come outso well.Charcoal and firewoodMost people took up charcoal burning whenthey lost their cows. It is a new occupation.Charcoal and firewood are ways to makemoney to invest in other businesses to feed thefamily. Everyone hunts after the harvest. YoungNGO WorkSome young people are employed by NGOsfor peace. They go to visit schools to showthem that they have peace among them andthey sing peace songs. Some make an incomeattending NGO meetings. Many NGOs comewith their own people who take the salarythey get to develop their own homes in otherparts of Uganda. There is nothing left in Karamoja.If they employed Karimojong,then we would put the money intoSorghum and other cropsSorghum is the staple food of our people. Itis something common to everyone. We eat itdaily, share it, make beer and use it for culturalceremonies. It brings unity. Even when thekraals have gone far from home they take sorghumfrom home as food. During harvest andcultivation there are opportunities for labour.A husband loves his wife so muchwhen she makes beer, becauseshe welcomes friends to come andvisit and the household commandsrespect. It is also important whenthe family is performing rituals,for example when a woman ispregnant with her first born,or at the naming of a child.men make granaries and cut building poles andyoung women cut firewood.People said they now walk for one day to getcharcoal. Trees are getting scarce. In Nadungyet,people are going to the boundaries, and peopleon the other side are doing the same andthe two sides are meeting. There used to betrees between the two places. Even the governmentis fighting against charcoal. Those treesonce cut will not come again. It may continuebecause there is need for it. If only a few peoplemake it then there will be ademand, and people will doit. Other people will stopmaking charcoal if theycan return to a life ofcattle and sorghum.our area. When they leave they leavewith everything. It is as if they werenever here.Strength and ProgressWhen we look at all the ways peopleare making a living we see their strength, courageand determination. This year the rains havebeen good and people have made progress.Although many are without cows, each one isworking towards buying animals and paying foreducation. People have not left the culture oflivestock keeping. They still follow their elders.Even when you just look at acow. You see everything in it- meat, butter, milk. It is likelooking at everything - life.43