ATLA Cooperative
The ATLA Cooperative, a local Community Based Organization (CBO) headquartered in Angal, was founded in 2013 with the aim of empowering disadvantaged young people – former beneficiaries of the “AIDS Orphans Project” – by helping them break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion. The cooperative focuses on providing training in sectors that support local employment, guiding these young individuals from the district toward independence.
In 2018, the Amici di Angal organization purchased and donated 13 acres of land to the ATLA Cooperative, with the intention of jointly establishing a farm. This farm would serve as a learning space for orphans from the region, offering hands-on training in agricultural techniques and practices adapted to environmental challenges. The goal is to replicate these techniques in neighboring communities, fostering food self-sufficiency initiatives and creating skilled professionals in agriculture and livestock farming.
The farm is located near the Nyarwood River, 30 km north of the Nile. With a year-round water flow (not seasonal), the river provides sufficient irrigation for crop cultivation. The farm is named “Fattoria Didattica Cardellino” in memory of the late Dr. Giovanni Cardellino, an Italian from Aosta and former Vice President of the Amici di Angal association, whose vision inspired its creation.
Although the farm has partially begun production, it faces challenges due to irregular rainfall and the difficulty of managing such a large plot without adequate logistical infrastructure, proper equipment, or sufficient staff.
In June 2022, as part of an experimental program, 12 orphaned boys and girls began taking theoretical lessons under the guidance of a certified agricultural teacher. These students, housed at the Combonian Technical School of Angal, also visit the farm twice a week (14 km away) to gain practical skills.
