Civil societies in the Rwenzori region normally hold a civil society fair after every 02 years to share their experiences and lessons learnt with others through exhibitions, debates, music dance and drama among other. This year the civil society fair took place at Kyenjojo S.S play ground in Kyenjojo district from 23rd- 26th September 2010, where different organizations participated in exhibitions, debates, music and drama. Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) a consortium made up of organizations dealing in Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance issues namely; Integrated Women Development Program (IWDP), Karambi Action for Life Improvement (KALI), Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development (GHFRD) and Rwenzori Information Centers Network (RICNET) participated in the civil society fair in a debate under the theme: “Are Ugandans ready for 2011 general elections” which was led by the host Integrated Women Development Program where participants discussed about the possibility of the 2011 elections being fair, free and peaceful looking at what had happened during the primary elections of NRM flag bearers in the entire country. Participants expressed a lot of fear that the electoral commission may not achieve the intended out come of the elections since in the NRM flag bearer elections, there was a lot of rigging, violence and threats from opponents. Participants called government for a more strong system in the electoral commission to cub down the raised issues.
The 03 days annual fair event was officially closed by the Minister for Investment and Planning; Hon Astone Kajara the current MP Mwenge South who appreciated the work of civil society in the region especially reducing the rate of corruption through shoddy works. He also encouraged participants to be ready for the 2011 elections and called for vigilance and confidence so that quality leaders could be voted into the various offices for quality service delivery. He discouraged candidates who have planned to buy people’s votes in exchange of petty items like salt, sugar and alcohol among others.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED 03 STANCE PIT LATRINE DEVELOPS CRACKS AT KYAKAYOMBYA PRIMARY SCHOOL- by Mrs. Saturday Beatrice CPF, Butiti sub county, Kyenjojo di
A 03 stance latrine at Kyakayombya primary school in Butiti sub county, Kyenjojo district has already developed cracks. The latrine was constructed by BAKA Company limited and work started on 11/06/2010 and was completed on 6/07/2010. Important to note is the cost of the latrine is not known by the communities/ parents. The latrine serves 357 girls in the school but surprisingly, it has already developed cracks on the walls, floor and verandah. The drainage system is poor. When the cracks developed, the head teacher of the school; Mr. Kasangaki Stephen wrote a letter to the Kyenjojo District Education Officer, Kyenjojo but no feed back has been got yet.
Below is a copy of the letter the head teacher wrote to the DEO complaining of the shoddy work.
Below is a copy of the letter the head teacher wrote to the DEO complaining of the shoddy work.
PARENTS MAKE LOCAL CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS CLASS ROOM CONSTRUCTION AT KYANYAWARA PRIMARY SCHOOL- By Mubarrack Ibrahim CPF Ruteete sub county
Pupils in primary seven at Kyanyawara primary school in Ruteete sub county Kabarole district used to share a class room with the head teacher as an office. This was causing a lot of inconvenience to the pupils, teachers and the head teacher as well, whereby the head teacher had no privacy to handle certain issues concerning teachers and pupils. The teachers were not free to teach when the head teacher was in his petitioned office inside the classroom. Pupils on the other hand could not participate fully with an ease during class time due to fear and tension. The head teacher contacted the CPF and monitors in the sub county, school management committee members and parents were mobilized for a PTA meeting where they contributed local materials and constructed a temporary class room which is now occupied by the p7 class
Sunday, November 21, 2010
INTRODUCTION
Integrated Women Development Program (IWDP) is a registered, indigenous Non Governmental and Non profit making Organization founded in 1996 by women social workers of Kabarole District before it was divided into other two Districts of Kyenjojo and Kamwenge. IWDP was founded with an aim of advocating for human rights more especially children and women in rural areas for the purpose of improving the quality of life and foster self-reliance and sustainable development. On an international scene, IWDP has been partnering with HIVOS and the Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF) in human rights activities and with National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to promote public accountability and transparency initiatives and with HOPEHIV in the area of HIV &AIDS. At local level we have worked with partners like Rwenzori Forum for Peace and Justice in the area of peace building and Association of Human Rights Organizations (AHURIO) in the area of human rights. In 2009, a consortium of 04 organizations namely KALI, Good Hope, RICNET and IWDP developed partnership with European Union through Hivos to implement a project ‘Enhancing Civic Competence to Influence Local Government Planning and Feed Back Processes in the Rwenzori region’. IWDP of now is operating in 11 sub counties in Kyenjojo and Kabarole districts.
Vision
A well-informed, empowered and peaceful society that recognizes and respects human dignity for better livelihoods and is responsible for its own development.
Empowering the rural community to be able to attain better livelihoods through human rights advocacy, health, peace and democracy for sustainable socio-economic development.
IWDP PROGRAMS
• Human rights
• Democracy and good governance
• Peace building and conflict resolution
• HIV&AIDS prevention, mitigation and care
Human rights program
This is based in the sub counties of Bufunjo and Nyankwanzi, Kyenjojo district. It focuses on the promotion and protection of children’s and women’s rights through school clubs and human rights ambassadors. Both internal and external debating competitions have been held to sensitize communities and seek their commitment on the protection and promotion of children’s rights. Rights of women and men are also promoted. Currently monitoring is done by Human Rights Ambassadors, Local leaders and school child rights clubs since IWDP does not have financial resources to do direct supervision and monitoring.
Peace building and conflict resolution
IWDP worked with primary schools in Nyankwanzi and Bufunjo sub counties to promote peaceful coexistence among different ethnic groups.
HIV&AIDS prevention, mitigation and care
IWDP is mainstreaming HIV&AIDS in all her interventions after a realization that HIV&AIDS affects her directly and indirectly. This has been done in our policies, systems, practices and programs which been tailored to address or accommodate the HIV&AIDS scourge based on our comparative advantage. Training of Staff and the grass root structures created was done in HIV&AIDS mainstreaming. This was done to reduce stigma and discrimination that existed in societies as a result of HIV&AIDS scourge.
Democracy and good governance
Under this program there are two projects funded by 02 different donors namely; National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and EU and Hivos to promote public accountability. Grass root structures (Community Process Facilitators and monitors) have been formed, trained and facilitated with means of transport (bicycles) to do effective monitoring of quality service delivery. They have further been provided with T-shirts for visibility purposes and stationery and cameras to conduct evidence based monitoring. The NED funded project is in the sub counties of Nyantungo, Kyarusozi, Katooke, Nyankwanzi, Bufunjo while the one funded by EU & Hivos is being piloted in Bugaki, Butiti and Kyenjojo town council Kyenjojo district Ruteete, Mugusu and Busoro sub counties in Kabarole district. The project emerged to address challenges that faced the grass root man and woman which include among others;
- Low civic participation in local government planning and accountability processes and hence low civic influence over public resource use.
- Limited transparency and accountability within the local government structures due to insufficient and untimely information on government plans to citizens.
- Absence of interaction, dialogue and information sharing between citizens and local governors.
Key activities implemented in the period January 2009 to Feb 2010 date for the project known as Enhancing Civic Competence to Influence Local Government Planning and Feed Back Processes in the Rwenzori Region.
1. 60 monitors and 06 Community Process Facilitators were identified and trained in the use of Poverty Resource Monitoring tools that are used to collect data from schools, health units and protected water points. The monitors have collected data and shared the findings with the concerned stakeholders and some actions have been taken to cause change.
2. 60 bicycles, stationery kits and T-shirts were distributed to monitors and CPFs from the 06 sub counties of operation. The monitors and CPFs were guided on the process of conducting the monitoring visits and work plan development. Monitors developed work plans that are guiding implementation of field activities.
3. Participated in the baseline survey exercise organized by the coordinating unit in April 2009 on the status of the facilities in the 03 sectors of education, health and water from the 06 sub counties of operation. The findings were shared with stakeholders on 18th November at Rwentuha primary school during the stakeholders’ meeting.
4. The trained drama groups have staged concerts in different sub counties to sensitize communities about their roles in civic participation in influencing decisions in health, education and water sectors.
5. Conducted radio programs with the participation of the different stakeholders. It should be noted that stakeholders in Kyenjojo district have not participated many times on our radio programs due to limited facilitation for guest speakers.
6. 18 suggestion boxes and 18 notice boards were procured and installed in Bugaki, Butiti, Kyenjojo town council, Mugusu, Ruteete and Busoro sub counties where each sub county got 03 suggestion boxes and 03 notice boards. Communities were sensitized on the usage of the facilities on radios and during community meetings. The suggestion boxes are being used by the communities to air out their issues.
7. Conducted a stake holders’ meeting at Rwentuha primary school on 18th November 2009 which was facilitated by the District Inspector of schools Kyenjojo Mr. Tinkasimire Peter and the Inspector of schools, Mwenge West Mr. Mugisa. The major purpose of the meeting was to review the education ordinance for Kyenjojo district and make recommendations to the district technical planning committee on 30th November 2009. After the event on the same day, a radio program was held on BETA radio in
8. I62 School management committee members in the target schools were trained on their roles and responsibility in the UPE program. The trainings were facilitated by the District Education Officers Kyenjojo and Kabarole respectively. Causes of poor performance among primary schools were identified sighting the causes being; absenteeism, parents failing to provide scholastic materials and lunch to their children while at school, a lot of domestic work that hinders children from doing home work, early pregnancies, children dropping out of school to work as house maids and working in tea estates and teachers walking long distances to schools caused by lack of staff quarters among others which compromises quality.
9. Sub county conferences were held in the sub counties of operation where issues affecting the 03 sectors of water, health and education were discussed and a follow up action plan drawn. Some actions have been implemented such as local council one chair persons revitalizing village meetings and community members encouraged to attend and discuss development issues or challenges affecting them. Councilors giving feedback to the communities in different forums including funerals once they have a plat form. Sub county chiefs and chair person LC IIIs to always get information concerning contracts from the district before allowing contractors to begin construction work in their sub counties.
impact created as a result of our intervention
- The pit latrine at Rwentaiki primary school was covered with support of the DEO Kyenjojo, parents, community leaders, school management committee, head teacher and teachers of the school.
- There is an improvement in community contribution towards their facilities for instance; parents of Rwentaiki primary school contributed 15000 bricks which are at the school premises awaiting construction in case the school gets funding. The unfunctional water point in Kyenjojo town council (Kabong shallow well) became functional after communities were mobilized to collect Operation & Maintenance fees which were used to repair the facility.
- Pupils in all case schools have reduced on the hours wasted out of class playing when it is time for class.
- The Kyenjojo district education ordinance 2005 was reviewed and recommendations presented to the District technical planning committee which will discuss it further in their council sessions before submission to the ministry for approval.
- Some communities have started monitoring schools especially teachers and pupils attendance a case is those in Bugaki and Mugusu sub counties,
- Local leaders have been put to task to explain the state of service delivery in their sub counties.
- During drama shows and community meetings, sub county chiefs, chair person LC IIIs, councilors, CDOs and health assistants have been put to task to explain issues from the communities and majority committed themselves to improve.
- Improved relationship between IWDP and the local government both at Sub County and district levels where we have held conferences and joint quarterly coordination meetings where issues in the water, health and education sectors have been shared
- Revitalized water user committees and there is some improvement in the performance of the committees where communities have been mobilized to contribute O&M fees as well as general maintenance of the facilities.
- The health management committees have been awakened to play their role and give feedback to communities.
CHALLENGES
Over expectation from communities in terms of material gain which undermines the principle of sustainability of the project impact.
The radio programs lasted 30 minutes and this affected phone calls for questions and dialogue. This was addressed by increasing on the duration for each radio program and reducing the number of times for radio programs a month.
IWDP is still donor dependent with no financial sustainability plan; this undermines sustainability of the already consolidated efforts once donor funds are terminated.
There is over demand of the services of IWDP yet the resources available cannot sustain it.
Lack of information concerning contracts in sub counties, reason being that contracts for construction are awarded at district level and host sub counties do not have Bills of quantities and thus are unable to monitor construction work going on their sub counties which leads to misuse of public resources.
Limited budget to implement all planned activities because of persistence increase in the prices of goods and services.
Low attitude among community members which undermines the principle of participation and ownership.
The radio programs lasted 30 minutes and this affected phone calls for questions and dialogue. This was addressed by increasing on the duration for each radio program and reducing the number of times for radio programs a month.
IWDP is still donor dependent with no financial sustainability plan; this undermines sustainability of the already consolidated efforts once donor funds are terminated.
There is over demand of the services of IWDP yet the resources available cannot sustain it.
Lack of information concerning contracts in sub counties, reason being that contracts for construction are awarded at district level and host sub counties do not have Bills of quantities and thus are unable to monitor construction work going on their sub counties which leads to misuse of public resources.
Limited budget to implement all planned activities because of persistence increase in the prices of goods and services.
Low attitude among community members which undermines the principle of participation and ownership.
LESSON LEARNED
The success of this project entirely depends on the participation of stakeholders at all levels right from the village to district levels including sub county/district technical staff and the political wing.
WAY FORWARD
IWDP will focus more on strengthening sharing of reports and work plans to avoid duplication of work and increase complimentality of government efforts.
Joint monitoring by IWDP and the district technocrats will be conducted to add value to the project and give appropriate recommendations.
IWDP will continue attending coordination and council meetings organized by stakeholders whenever invited.
Joint monitoring by IWDP and the district technocrats will be conducted to add value to the project and give appropriate recommendations.
IWDP will continue attending coordination and council meetings organized by stakeholders whenever invited.
APPRRECIATION
IWDP appreciates the support from partners especially government departments in terms of advice, mobilization and coordination which have made her achieve her planned targets.
IWDP continues to seek for more support from the district to ensure continuity of the efforts already attained at various levels.
IWDP continues to seek for more support from the district to ensure continuity of the efforts already attained at various levels.
