The Farmer Who Turned Crops into Classrooms, Planting Futures: A Roots Africa Story

From One Seed to an Institution: How a Ugandan Farming Family Is Changing Future of its Young People From the Fields!

"Africa doesn't need charity; it needs changemakers."

In the quiet heart of Namuganga Sub-county, Nakifuma County, Mukono District in Uganda, a small miracle grows among the rows of cassava and maize. A story that captures the very spirit of this belief starts with a farmer.

It’s not just crops; children are learning, futures are forming, and a community is rising, all thanks to a humble farmer with a vision.

Mr. Aguma Pasco, a farmer by heritage and an educator by conviction, did something extraordinary. With the proceeds from his family farm, the very one that once paid for his education, he built a primary school for the children of his village, not with a foreign grant or a fundraising gala. He did it with his two hands, his African heritage, the soil, and a steadfast belief that education transforms lives.

Why? For the children in his community. He says, “A child who learns can lift a whole community.”

Today, that school stands not just as a building, but as a beacon, offering opportunity, connection, and hope to families who once saw education as out of reach.

Mr. Aguma Pasco believed that educating young minds could lift the fortunes of an entire village. That by empowering one generation, you sow seeds for countless more. That connection, prosperity, and opportunity grow strongest when rooted in love for the land and its people.

Mr. Aguma Pasco’s farm and the community around him rallied to support this vision. His story is living proof: Africa doesn’t need charity. It needs changemakers.

But the story doesn’t end there.

One of those children who grew up learning alongside goats and seedlings is Tumwesigye Deriphan, Mr. Aguma Pasco’s son. A Roots Africa Changemaker. A bridge between tradition and innovation. The circle of impact has come full circle.

Raised in the rich soil of hard work and perseverance, Deriphan absorbed lessons from the farm, and then, through education, returned home with new tools. Today, he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his father, bringing modern, sustainable farming practices to their ancestral land.

Deriphan now teaches his father why harvest patterns have changed over the decades, explaining climate change in ways that once seemed like “acts of God.” He’s introduced better bookkeeping, diversified crops by introducing soybean farming, and together they are leading the family’s shift from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. Together, they’ve introduced new crops like soybeans, planned around erratic rainfall, and learned to decode the patterns behind the changing seasons.

“Twenty years ago, we blamed poor harvests on the will of God,” Mr. Aguma Pasco says. “Now, thanks to Deriphan, we understand the science, and we can adapt.”

Their relationship has come full circle. The father who introduced his son to farming now learns from that son how to future-proof it.

Because of this partnership, father and son, experience and innovation, more children in the community not only have access to food but also access to formal education at almost zero cost.

We at Roots Africa know the profound ripple effect of one empowered changemaker.
We don’t just hear these stories; we walk the farms, visit the schools, and meet the pupils whose laughter carries hope into the future. We saw the spark in the children’s eyes as they tried to write sentences and speak English. We felt a sense of purpose and fulfillment from Mr. Aguma Pasco's voice when they said, “I built this, with my land, my labor, and my love for this community.”

This isn’t charity. This is change.

And it’s powered by people like Mr. Aguma Pasco and Deriphan.

We’ve seen firsthand how a single school building has transformed a community, giving its children a future their parents could only dream of.

Today, we celebrate Mr. Aguma Pasco and his son Deriphan, changemakers who show us what’s possible when you nurture the land and invest in people.

As Deriphan says:

“From an early age, I learned the importance of perseverance and resilience. I watched my parents rise before dawn, tending to the crops and livestock with unwavering dedication. Despite the challenges farming presented, their commitment never wavered. They taught me that success is not just about the harvest but about the journey, the struggles, and the small victories along the way.”

Roots Africa is here to support changemakers, not just with tools, training, mentorship, and resources to activate the young seeds in Changemakers, but with belief. Because Africa doesn’t need charity. It needs more stories like this. It needs more Aguma Pasco.

This isn’t just a story at Roots Africa; it’s a movement! We are building stronger food systems, empowering communities to survive and thrive in a changing world.
Africa doesn’t need charity. It needs changemakers.