Please introduce yourself.

My name is Patrick Tuyizere.

When did you join Gardens For Health (GHI)

I joined GHI in September 28, 2021

What do you love most about GHI?

I loved the friendly reception I got the first time I got here. Everyone was friendly to me and it made me feel at home and even love my work more.

GHI has also introduced me to so many vegetables I didn’t know about at first, including my new favorite so far, - collard greens.

Tell us about your day at work

I wake up at 6:30 am every day. My day starts with cleaning the pig sty and wattle ( turkeys’ shelter), feeding them at 8:00 am and later at 4:00pm. During my free time, I take time to interact with colleagues like the farm technicians to learn about their work during the day.

What do you love most about your work?

I am simply passionate about my work. I naturally love animals. It’s a passion I got from my foster father. We had animals back then and he could encourage us to take care of them. I am simply happy that I now do a job I learnt to do back then.

Also, I am a farmer back home too. I have 3 pigs so far. So whatever I do or learn to do here at work, I also practice on my own at home.

Where did you get your inspiration for your work?

I grew up with my father and he had animals including pigs, cows, and chickens at home. He encouraged us all to do this work with a passion.

Which one of GHI’s programs inspires you most? What makes it different from other programs?

I love the Agriculture program most. It’s the entire core of all GHI’s work. For children who are battling with malnutrition, it’s almost impossible to help them without agriculture in the picture.

Which lessons have you learned and adapted from GHI work into your home?

I have learnt about vegetables. I didn’t know most of the vegetables that I now know. Infact, everything I know about vegetable growing, I learnt here. I want to take some of these vegetables home so that I can teach people about them too.

Most importantly though, GHI has taught me how to live with others respectfully. It’s something I will always carry with me.

Anything you are looking forward to in your work?

Yes.

We were recently given an opportunity to learn from each others’ work. For instance, we have a schedule where farm techs will be working with me here in the livestock section for 2 days in a month so that they can learn how I take care of these animals. I will also be joining them to learn about their work at the farm for another 2 days.

If you are not working, what are you most likely to be doing?

I love sports. After work, you are most likely to find me exercising. I don’t have so many people here to exercise with so most times I go solo. I like running and push-ups mostly.

Anything you would like to share about your work that other people may not know?

Some may know this but I have seen so many people get fascinated by the fact that pigs need to be bathed and they don’t like a filthy environment.

Many people also don’t know that pigs sometimes get stressed and when that happens, it needs someone to either be close to it, bathe it, and if necessary, give it medication. We sometimes play music for them to create a good environment for them.

Could you share with me at least one thing about you that your colleagues don't know?

I know how to make leather masai shoes and belts, I know how to prepare leather from when it’s raw until when it’s ready to use. I have taught over 8 people how to make them and some of them are doing it for a living.

What’s your favorite vegetable?

I love collard greens (sukuma wiki). I used to love Amaranth, but ever since I was introduced to collard greens here at GHI, that’s my favorite. When we start our exchange sessions with the farm technicians, I want to learn to grow collard greens first.

Which advice would you give to a new GHI staff member?

I would encourage them to stay humble. Everyone here is humble and they all respect each other and when one faces a challenge, they all get together to support them.

Patrick Tuyizere n’umukozi ushinzwe amatungo hano mu kigo cy’Umurima w’Ubuzima (GHI). Kuva yatangira akazi, Patrick akorana umurava utapfa kubona ahandi.

Twagiranye nawe ikiganiro kirambuye ngo tumve uko akazo ke gateye.

Uratangira utubwira amazina yawe.

Nitwa Patrick Tuyizere.

Watangiye akazi hano muri GHI ryari?

Natangiye akazi ku itariki 28 z’ukwezi kwa 9 umwaka wa 2021. (28/09/2021)

Ni ikihe kintu cyatumye ukunda GHI cyane?

Icyatumye nkunda GHI cyane ni ukuntu banyakiriye neza bwa mbere. Abantu bose wabonaga bangaragariza urukundo kandi byatumye nisanga mubandi ndetse ndushaho gukunda akazi kanjye.

GHI imaze kunyigisha byinshi cyane cyane imihingire y’imboga, harimo n’izo nkunda kurusha izindi.

Wadusangiza uko akazi kawe ka buri munsi hano muri GHI gakorwa?

Buri munsi mbyuka saa 6:30 za mugitondo. Nkigera hano, nkora isuku mu kiraro cy’ingurube na Dendo, nkazigaburira saa mbiri na saa kumi.

Nyuma y’akazi hari ubwo nganiriza abakozi bagenzi banjye bakorera hano kuri farm nkabigiraho byinshi bimfasha kunoza akazi kanjye kaburi munsi..

Ni iyihe gahunda wishimira cyane kurusha izindi muri gahunda za GHI ? Niki kiyitandukanya nizindi?

Nkunda gahunda y’ubuhinzi cyane. Mba mbona ariyo y’ingenzi kubana bahura n’ikibazo cy’imirire mibi, haramutse hatabayeho ubuhinzi, ntabwo byashoboka kuyirandura.

Ni ayahe masomo umaze kwigira mu kazi kawe ukoresha n’ahandi?

Nize ibijyanye n’imihingire y’imboga. Hari imboga nyishi ntarinzi mbere ariko ubu maze kumenya nshaka nokuzajyana murugo nzigishe n’abandi. Ibyomaze kumenya byose nabyigiye hano.

Ikiruta byose, GHI yanyigishije kubana n’abandi neza kandi twubahana. Ni isomo nzigisha n’abandi aho nzajya hose..

Hari icyo waba witeze mu minsi iri imbere bijyanye n’akazi kawe?

Yego. Baherutse kuduha amahirwe yo kwigira kubyo abandi bakora. Urugero, ubu tuzajya dukorana n’abakozi bo kuri farm iminsi ine mu kwezi kuburyo bazajya biga akazi nkora nange nkiga ako bakora.

Ngiye nokuzajya nigira ku kazi kabandi. Urugero, dusigaye twemerewe iminsi 4 yogukorana mu kwezi. Iminsi ibiri muri iyo nzajya nkorana n’abakozi bo kuri farm hano mu matungo, hanyuma iminsi yindi ibiri, tujye dukorana mukazi kabo kuri farm.

Iyo utari mu kazi, uba urimo gukora iki?

Ubundi nkunda siporo. Iyo ndagije akazi, akenshi mba ndi muri siporo. Ntabantu benshi mfite dukorana siporo, kenshi mba ndi jyenyine. Nkunda siporo yo kwiruka ariko nkora nindi myitozo ngororamubiri.

Haba hari icyo wakwifuza gusangiza abandi kijyanye n’akazi kawe abandi batazi?

Wenda bamwe barabizi ariko abantu benshi batungurwa n’uko ingurube zikenera kuzoza kandi zikaba zidakunda umwanda.

Ikindi kandi ingurube zikunda kurwara umunaniro kandi iyo byazibayeho, zishobora nokwanga kurya. Icyo gihe ziba zikeneye umuntu uziba hafi akazirinda ibizitera umunaniro byaba ngombwa akaziha n’umuti. Ingurube zikunda gucurangirwa indirimbo zituje kuko bizifasha kumva zimerewe neza zikabyibuha ndetse bizifasha kurya bike kandi bikazirinda umunaniro..

Ukunda izihe mboga kurusha izindi?

Nkunda sukuma wiki. Mbere nikundiraga Dodo cyane ariko kuva aho namenyeye sukuma wiki hano muri GHI, nizo nkunda kurusha izindi.

Dufite gahunda yo gukorana n’itsinda ry’ubuhinzi rikorera mumurima kuri farm kugirango nzige ibyo bakora nabo mbigishe uko nkora akazi kanjye. Iyo gahunda nitangira, ndashaka kuziga gutera sukuma wiki mbere yibindi byose.

Nk’umukozi umenyereye GHI, ni iyihe nama wagira umukozi mushyashya?

Namugira inama yokwicisha bugufi , kunoza umurimo ndetse no kubana neza n’abandi kugirango ajyane n’umuco w’ikigo. Abantu bose hano uba ubona bicishije bugufi kandi bubahana.

Staff Spotlight: Behind the Scenes of a Livestock Caregiver at the GHI farm