The Power of Cooperation and Trust: Kurama Patrick’s Journey as a Change Agent

Kurama Patrick’s journey as a Change Agent began in November 2022. He says he finds the role enjoyable and rewarding.

His dedication to this role has earned him respect within his community at Kiringa village, where people have begun to trust and value his knowledge of local affairs and motivation to bring about change in their community.

As a change agent, Kurama takes pride in working closely with his fellow villagers to address issues ranging from petty theft to maintenance of bridges that connect their village with crucial community facilities such as a church, primary school and health centre.

Through his mobilization efforts, the village agreed on the penalty against convicted thieves, which has significantly reduced theft incidents in the community.

He believes his commitment to his role stems from his cooperative and trustworthy nature, qualities that have helped foster positive relationships with both villagers and village leaders.

“To earn the trust of local leaders and villagers alike, one needs to be trustworthy and cooperative in village matters. That’s when one would also be interested and willing to hear different issues the villagers send you to work on. It also helps in collecting general knowledge and understanding of local challenges” says Kurama

Beyond community mobilization, Kurama is involved in agriculture, particularly the cultivation of Irish potatoes. Despite limited capital and modern farming techniques, Patrick says he often harvests a good number of bags which when sold produce enough income to take good care of his family.