Comments on: Steve Cran in Uganda – Parts I – III

By: kerri

kerri — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:12:57 +0000

Steve not sure if you remember me. I certainly remember you. It is wonderful and not at all surprising to see where and what you are up to. Good for you. Wish there were more like you.

By: Dave AKA Radar Innes

Dave AKA Radar Innes — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:37:03 +0000

Hi Steve.
Isnt google a funny thing? I am watching a movie about Bangkok at the moment and thought back to ‘83′84 and spending christmas there on leave from butterworth and wondered what had happened to you after I left the army. Glad to see you are doing worthwile stuff and still alive. Take care and keep up the good work.

By: Narelle Cook

Narelle Cook — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:50:02 +0000

Hi Steve

Hows things – it was a buzz to read and see you on the net. Great to see you are doing well – olde white hair

Love from
Narelle

By: Steve Kennewell

Steve Kennewell — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:26:31 +0000

Good on you Steve but don’t take the security issues lightly.
I lived in the West of Uganda at Kasese in 2005 for 6 months and spent 10 months working around Lake Albert in 2007 / 2008.
The people need the sort of eduation you are providing rather than handouts.
I wish you success and a safe time there.
I plan on returning myself as soon as I can find a way.
Cheers

By: Geoff Lawton

Geoff Lawton — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:18:26 +0000

We are deploying an average of 3 project workers every month and that number is increasing.

We train people for all climates with project references of successful applications and direct skype video conference teaching live to project locations.

We are in direct communication with projects in all stages of establishment which are funded in numerous ways through large aid organizations, the Australian government through AYAD and VIDA programs, organizations like weforest, universities with environmental aid programs and small local in country NGO’s.

The main theme that we follow is the “The Permaculture Master Plan” featured on the top right hand side of each page on this web site.

By: Carolyn Payne

Carolyn Payne — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:33:05 +0000

For Nicholas, re: how do you train for other climates than the Sub Tropics. I can comment on my personal experience,with regard to Zaytuna farm and doing a PDC or other training there and/or other locations. Most people soon come to realize that the location for a PDC is interesting but possibly irrelevant. A good instructor will train you how to ’see’, interpret and act in all the climate zones on the planet. A PDC will not teach you about all the plants or animals and their care for a specific climate location, which is maybe what you are getting at. You learn to see very well what is in front of you, wherever you are and also what is possible to add to it, how to mimic it, improve on it, this vision is transferable. Taking levels anywhere in the world is all the same, directing machinery or human labour is the same wherever you are, building gardens, building soil, managing water, putting in food forests, its all just variations on the same theme regardless of location. Everyone needs practical skills in all areas and it takes time and opportunity to gather all these tecniques, however without universal design as a base you waste a lot of time and energy.

By: Patricia Maas

Patricia Maas — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:50:46 +0000

Have been following the various links provided and wow. So much to be learned and done. Great work Steve. What crops are you planting in efforts to move the Ugandans away from aid dependency? I do realize this is a step by step process.

By: steve cran

steve cran — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:05:17 +0000

Im currently working for a large international organization that is not a charity. My contract forbids me to divulge my employer. It’s probably a good thing as I dont loke the inflexabilaty of organizations. Because the problems here have been largley created by conventional aid I have been given enough rope to move.( Maybe!) I’m sure if I’m in anyway successful in the next phase in May, they will be telling the world how good they are. Ha ha. Check out http://globalsustainabilitycorps.org/

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:39:58 +0000

Steve, what program are you working with or are you working independently?

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:36:34 +0000

Hi, Great work Steve!
If anyone is interested, Charles Darwin University offers a batchelor of humanitarian and community studies, the first of its kind in Australia and possibly the world. It trains graduates to work in areas of limited infrastructure, primarily in developing countries. Upon graduating, students are able to work as humanitarian logisticians with aid groups such as the red cross and medicins sans frontiers or work in third world development. If coupled with permaculture training, the potential for ethical and (thus) effective aid/development work would be very exciting. A masters program is being introduced soon as well. The course website is below.

http://stapps.cdu.edu.au/pls/apex/f?p=100:31:2506134026989081::NO::P31_SEARCH_COURSE,P31_SEARCH_YEAR,P31_SEARCH_VERSION:BHCS%2C2010%2C1

Looking forward to joining the permaculture aid scene in a few years!