In the quiet village of Abata, nestled in Kobulubulu Sub-county in Kaberamaido District, a silent revolution is underway—one slice of mango at a time.
For decades, mango season in the Teso sub-region was both a gift and a curse. Trees groaned under the weight of golden fruit, yet the surplus often rotted on the ground, unharvested and unvalued.
The abundance, instead of enriching the community, became a seasonal burden—piles of spoiled fruit turning into sticky carpets of waste.
That narrative is changing, thanks to an innovative initiative by the Prince of Peace Orphans and Widows Vision (POPOW), a community-based organization operating in Kaberamaido, Amolatar, and Kalaki districts.
Under POPOW’s guidance, a group of 11 women in Abata has taken charge of this annual glut—transforming what was once discarded into a sustainable source of income.
Led by POPOW’s “No Food Waste” campaign, the women are now processing local mangoes into dried fruit snacks and natural juices using solar drying technology.
“This is about improving economic livelihoods for poor rural households, especially among women,” says Bwire Derick Bwele, POPOW’s program manager.
“We’re showing communities that what was once waste can become a dependable income stream.”
The transformation is powered by solar dryers—simple yet effective devices built using affordable, locally available materials.
The dryers, of both cabinet and tunnel designs, use heat from the sun to dehydrate ripe mangoes. The process requires no electricity, making it ideal for off-grid communities.
“These mangoes are 100% organic,” explains Dr. Abraham Hadoto, an expert in solar drying technology.
“They’re not sprayed or chemically treated. This method preserves their nutritional value while making them shelf-stable for up to several years.”
Dr. Hadoto details how the cabinet dryer uses black surfaces to trap solar heat, creating convection currents that pull moisture from the fruit.
The tunnel version applies the same principles on a larger scale, drying sliced mangoes in one to two days, depending on the weather.
For women like Christine Achom, the 57-year-old group chairperson, the project has been nothing short of a revelation.
“Since I was born, I never knew mangoes could be this important,” she says, standing beside her team as they sort, peel, and slice the day’s harvest.
“We used to watch them rot. Now, we dry them, pack them, even juice them—and we make money.”
Beyond the technical training, the women have learned essential business skills, including record-keeping, marketing, and pricing strategies. This dual approach ensures they not only produce quality products but also sell them profitably.
“This isn’t just about mangoes,” Bwire adds. “It’s about helping women gain economic independence. When mothers thrive, children eat better, stay in school, and the whole household benefits.”
In a region where poverty, school dropouts, and teenage pregnancies persist, POPOW believes community empowerment is the most effective solution—starting with what people already have, such as fruit trees in their backyards.
Community enthusiasm for the project has been overwhelmingly positive. Villagers now refer to the once-rotting fruit as “gold on trees.”
And the innovation is expanding: beyond drying, the women now produce pure mango juice using a simple, chemical-free pressing process.
“We just peel, slice, and press,” says Christine. “It’s all natural. Even people with health issues can drink it safely.”
POPOW founder Florence Ringe stresses that this is not a short-term intervention but a sustainable model for rural development.
“These mangoes are grown right at home. Processing and sales can also happen at home. That’s our model—low-cost, locally-driven, and self-sustaining,” Ringe says.
The solar dryers can also be used to preserve vegetables, millet, simsim, groundnuts, berries, and even fish, expanding the potential for income generation and food security throughout the year.
Looking ahead, the group is preparing to scale up. With branding, packaging, and food safety training underway, they plan to market their mango products in supermarkets, schools, churches, and hospitals across the region.
“Once we penetrate the market,” Bwire notes, “this could have a national impact.”
For Christine and her fellow processors, the dream is clear: to use what they’ve always had to change their future.
“We are poor women,” she says, smiling. “But we are not going to be poor again.”
POPOW’s model invites replication. Using accessible materials like timber and iron sheets, the solar dryers are easy to build and maintain. Communities across Uganda are encouraged to visit and learn.
“This is not just for Kaberamaido,” Ringe says. “Women everywhere face the same challenges. Together, we can support each other toward economic and social self-reliance.”
As the mango season returns to Teso, the once-ignored fruit now symbolizes hope, dignity, and transformation. Where mangoes once rotted, they now feed dreams—and for the women of Abata, this is just the beginning.