POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AFTER A ONE-YEAR SMALL GRANT TO EIGHTEEN (18) COMMUNCITY BASED ORGANISATIONS (CBOS) IN ELEVEN (11) DISTRICTS OF UGANDA

However small a donation can be it can make tremendous changes on grassroots communities and more indirectly to children.

A survey carried out by NVIWODA staff, members and the technical team in October 2004 revealed the following:

Kyerima Mbirontono Women Group has twenty members. The monitoring team revealed that the women rear 350 layers with an output of seven to eight (7-8) trays of eggs daily. They had embarked on setting bigger structure in an effort to expand their project to be able to accommodate 600 layers.

The women also contribute Ug.Shs.25,000/= (US. $14.53) towards this expansion. They had also planted two and half acres of maize in preparation for chicken feeds. Their major problem however was the drought, which had destroyed their earlier yield hence affecting the project, as the cost of feeds was high.

Mrs. Sauda Kavuma- Chairperson of Kyerima Mbirontono Women’s Group of Butambala, had very good words for NVIWODA, she excitedly said, “With a Grant from NVIWODA”, the group was able to expand its Poultry Project.”

Due to insufficient funds to feed the project after the grant, the group had to acquire a loan from NVIWODA of Ug. Shs. 1,000,000/=Equiv. of US. $ 579 and training from NVIWODA has assisted the group, to manage expand the project to six Hundred (600) layers. The mother project of improved indigenous Hens has also increased their output.

NVIWODA members being toured on 2 1/2 acres of maize garden planted by the group in preparation for feeds for expanded 600 layers.

When the group was asked about the challenges of managing the project they indicated that they work in shifts and as a team.

The group needs training in business management for successful development of their project.

Nakazadde Ward Women Development Association comprises of forty members and runs a bakery project. It was revealed that NVIWODA grant assisted them to acquire a mixer, re-built an oven and their project has tremendously improved and production expanded.

The group conducts bakery classes to its members, and other women within the community. The members are participating in the project in order to earn an income.

The project however had concentrated on production of bread alone; until the group was trained in other products like cakes and cookies, in order to fully increase and diversify their output.

At St Bruno Doll Making Group, the women members showed progress in this project of making dolls out of resource-based materials. They earn income from the dolls, which they sell locally in craft shops and outside Uganda i.e. America, Italy, Netherlands.

The beneficiaries of this project have been able to start up other income generating activities and therefore improving their family incomes. It was indicated that with a grant from NVIWODA they acquired a sewing machine and materials in bulk to increase their production.

St. Bruno dolls, waits for marketing.

The sales from the project have assisted St. Bruno Doll Making Group to complete their workshop.  The project to day employs Twenty-two women, including four orphans; now produce necklaces and beaded pens.

However the group is still faced with the challenges of a sustainable market, needed training in marketing, to enable them sell to many outside outlets.

Kabowa Women’s Cooperative Society runs a Poultry Hatchery. They received a Grant from NVIWODA of Two million, which they spent on purchasing a huller and a mortar to enable them process Maize flour and chicken feeds. Their main challenge was lack of insufficient funds to purchase maize so that their Maize Mill runs consistently.

The group gives out chicks to women members and provides feeds.  This project helps women to earn an income, to support mothers gain education for their children.

The group in future plans to grow their own maize as an investment to sustain the project.

United Women Development Association (UWODA)

The Piggery Project also registered success.  They have one Bore Pig and four sows. At first birth one Pig produced Nine Piglets and on the second time it delivered eight piglets.  The first four piglets were sold and the funds utilized to feed the project.

Though some success was registered the group was still faced with a problem of lack of sufficient funds to acquire animal feeds in bulk.

However, the members continued to fundraise among themselves in an effort to alleviate this problem. Their shelter also needed improvement. Further fundraising strategies was a strategy to the group.

Some of UWODA members and monitoring team from NVIWODA at the Piggery Project site discussing strategies and solutions to over come some problems being faced by the project.

Reach Out to the Wives of the Soldiers -Luweero District

In November 2000, Ntulume Village Women’s Development Association was part of the participants in an exhibition organized by the State University of New York in conjunction with Uganda Parliamentary Technical Assistance Project (a number of NGO’s participated in this) among the visitors to NVIWODA exhibit, was the Coordinator or RWOSA, and as a result NVIWODA conducted a human capacity building needs assessment among the Wives of the Soldiers.

In January 2001,thirty five (35); women were conducted through a One-week Business skills training, and as a result the group started a bakery, tie and Dye and tailoring projects, in order to offer skills to the wives of the soldiers.  The group today trains women in baking skills for both bread and cakes, the skills development will avail the women an opportunity to be self employed, the products are sold within the community to enable the group earn income, for sustaining some of the activities of RWOSA.

During our evaluation visit the Tailoring and Bakery projects had registered significant success, as testimonials revealed. Those who have graduated from the skills development training and as a follow up of the implementation of the acquired skills; they have together through self-help spirit fundraised for each other (through cash round), and have been able to acquire Manual Sewing Machines on which they work.

As RWOSA continues to offer skills to the wives of the soldiers, the Chairperson revealed that in future, the women would earn incomes as they get exposed to development programmes.

Although the women transfer to other places due to the nature of the work of their spouses, the wives automatically carry along with them their skills, which duplicate to other women, hence accelerated skills development and creation of income generation activities among them in that particular environment.

The Coordinator Mrs. Bbosa Jovanice and some beneficiaries of RWOSA)

Conducting monitoring team to view the appropriate technology bakery oven that was funded by NVIWODA.

Since the formation of RWOSA, gossiping and rumormongering has reduced and as they gain skills, they get engaged in some productive activities.

Martha Atim comes from Luweero. She is a member of Reach Out to the Wives of the Soldiers, a group member grantee of NVIWODA; she praised women that belong to organizations, as it creates opportunity for women to learn from each other.  Martha says from the skills acquired, she can now make Tie and Dye on orders from her Church and other neighboring areas.

She excitedly said, that she feels happy when she can maintain her family of Twelve (12) people.

From her business of tie and dye the family has been able to acquire land and is now constructing a house.

Their main challenge has been lack of sufficient funds to facilitate the full time trainers, however as the women learn they teach each other.

The group also needed to address Human Rights and Domestic Violence awareness among the wives of the soldiers but lacked resources to facilitate the training.

Though women owned a few goats, which are indigenous, they tended to take a long time before it is sold. The purpose behind this project is to improve the breeds and productions to enable rural women generate income, whereby women and children directly benefit.

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Some members of Ibanda Catholic Women’s Guild (Western part of Uganda) at a Parish site where one of the exotic goats is placed.  In 3^rd right in the picture is the Programme Coordinator of NVIWODA- Ms. Nyarwa

The members said they have been able to care for their children and pay for school fees.

Kamuruli United Women Development Association consists of twenty five (25) women and four (4) men who are the husbands to some of the members. Their projects include organic farming, goat rearing for milk production, adult literacy classes and tailoring classes.  The first eight families that had benefited from NVIWODA grant received goats were visited on site.

The beneficiaries revealed that, the first birth when female is passed on to the next family in that project. Children asked about the milk said that, “their milk tastes good”. Apart from the women getting income out of goat rearing through selling surplus Milk at Ug. Shs.800/=, the children’s health has improved as the goat milk has high nutritional values.

They also grow maize and cotton as source of income. Those who attend the adult classes said that they had learnt how to read and write.

The Chairperson reported that, NVIWODA Development Fund has increased their organizational status whereby the group has also acquired more funding from other Donors namely Oxted Third World U.K and Melania in Netherlands, which funded their agriculture project by providing them with Oxen to make their labour less intensive, and increasing agricultural outputs.

Bukana Rural Development Association.

The group is comprised of thirty eight (38) members and out of these there are four men. With the grant from NVIWODA and after a three days training workshop on Human rights empowerment, home and animal management, again here two members each received a Diary Exotic Goat for milk production. The Association trained the women to practice organic farming and the families visited, each had at least a kitchen vegetable garden.

They said that with the goat project, once a female is produced it is extended to another woman. At the time of evaluation, four families had already benefited from the project.

Those who received the goats testified that they feel they have gained respect at their family level and also contribute towards family welfare and upkeep, through selling of surplus milk, while their children have gained their health due to balanced diets.

Other than the Association gaining recognition within the District NVIWODA grant enabled them to achieve a level where they said they were able to attract a donation from Ruxton – U.K., that enabled their office to acquire office equipment and some furniture.

The organization has acquired land and is planning to construct an office. Office in the near future, as rented office is very costly to the organization.

The women now receive Micro-credit from the Association.  Through support from another source the women have bought land on which they are planning to build an office in the near future, as the rented one is very costly to the organization.

Mperre Indigenous Initiatives for Development (MIID)

This is located in the Western part of Uganda the organization has forty-seven (47) registered members comprising of both men and women who reside in Mperre Parish.

With a grant from NVIWODA they improved an agriculture project, in which they grow garlic, maize, beans and Ground Nuts. . Their first harvest did very well, though the second was affected by drought season.

The idea behind the project is to demonstrate, train, and provide improved seeds to the members for better yields, as a strategy to alleviate poverty through growing cash crops among the Mperre community.

It again revealed that since that time there has been increased participation of the members and the surrounding communities have so far benefited from the MIID’s organized seminars.

The proceeds of the project have enabled the organization to organize the community, and train them in improved agriculture and healthy feeding for their children.

Two of these organized workshops have since attracted one hundred and thirty five (135) and sixty -three (63) participants respectively.

MIID operates in a remote area where development awareness has lacked for a long time, due to poor infrastructure. However with the organization efforts to address health issues, and economic issues the society is responding positively. One of the seminars organized in October 2004 focused on a Theme “Where there is no Doctor” women learnt simple first aid methods of treating diseases using medical and local herbs. As a result of this seminar women can now produce Herbal Soap to treat some skin related diseases and others have started to earn an income from the products.

The organization still faces the challenges of communication, as their infrastructure is still poor.  More training in areas of Human rights and domestic violence needed urgent address, as this also hinders the women to progress. Mperre Community needed intensive sensitization on poverty eradication so as to improve the welfare of the families, and more especially that of children.

Baropobo Women Group is located in the Eastern part of Uganda.  People in Apac live on subsistence farming and most of labour is manual and communal work.  With immigration of youth to towns and cities families experience labour shortage.

With a Grant from NVIWODA Development Fund, Baropobo Women Group acquired appropriate skills in farming using oxen and ploughs. Each of the four groups of five (5) members has since cleared four acres of land totaling to 12 acres. Since the grant the group has opened a big acreage and have planted maize, simsim and sunflower.  The group reported that the beneficiaries have increased their output despite the fact that one season was not favorable as it was a drought one. Before the women were ploughing land by hand, and apart from running a group project the women use the oxen ploughs on their gardens at a small fee to sustain the project, hence reducing labour shortage and increasing production.

Despite the success of this project, the group is still faced with challenges of ploughs not being sufficient to all members in the project, hence lagging behind in the first planting seasons hence more support is needed.

A group photo of Baropobo Women’s Group members with their ox-ploughs, two oxen and men instructors.

The purpose of this project is promotion of appropriate intermediate technologies in farming as well as appropriate technology for homesteads in order to reduce women’s workloads.

Luweero Women Development Association

Luweero Women Development Association during the period of NVIWODA Fund, its main activities included sensitization workshops and seminars to address conflict resolution and peace building through community sensitization, drama and video shows.

The objectives of these workshops was to share views and experiences of conflict resolution and peace-building using conflict experiences from different regions in Uganda.

It was reported that one hundred and thirty one participants benefited from the grant. And these came from seven sub-counties of Luweero. The workshop held on 26^th September 2003, resulted into women being exposed to their rights and how they can leave in harmony. Experiences shared by women from other districts i.e. Soroti and Gulu, in comparison with the issues that were raised in a short Drama presentation, the women realized that they are mostly affected including their children due to lack of knowledge on their rights which lead to their rights being violated.

It was summarized that “ having conflicting ideas is human but depends on how one yarns of what is right or wrong.”

Participants from seven sub-counties of Luweero listening attentively during the Conflict Resolution Workshop.

LUWODA is still challenged by insufficient funding to reach out to other areas of the District, however the Chairperson said, with the grant that was received from NVIWODA, the organization was able to reduce levels of ignorance of women on their rights, marginalisation discrimination and isolation, apathy and inferiority complex that prevailed among women.

Ms. Margaret Kakembo Coordinator LUWODA elaborating a point of e elimination of conflicts within society.

On 21^st November 2003 the 2^nd workshop was held with attendance of sixty-three participants from Seven Parishes of Butuntumula in Luweero District.

Objectives of the workshop:

• To equip women with entrepreneurship skills
• To equip leaders with leadership skills for sustainable development.

The topics covered ranged from Business skills, good leadership and effective communication.

15TH ANNIVERSARY GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN PARTNERSHIP GRANT AWARD

SUMMARISED FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 9TH DECEMBER 2002 TO 12TH JANUARY 2005

Exchange Rate: 1 US. $ = 1,720/= Ug. Shs.

Conclusion

NVIWODA support is in the right direction, all women that we have worked with, have become more aware of their marginalisation and have sought ways of changing, however, majority of rural women lacks the capacity and other resources to enable her change. 

With GFW, we have been able to bridge a very tiny gap, further support is being sought to enable NVIWODA reach out to these other women in their groups and communities, so as to trigger development rural areas, if the equal rights for all is to be attained.

With regular interaction with the CBO’s will promote Community Development Best practices, increased networking and create strong linkages that can accelerate development.

On a happy note we wish to appreciate those organizations that have been able to access further funding for their groups, after equipping them with Project Proposal Writing and Community Development in March 2003.

• One other problem CBO’s face and need to be overcome is working in isolation, which has hindered their progress and recognition of their roles.  A lot more is needed to enable active participation and growth hence NVIWODA’s intervention, if given the opportunity.

Please note that a few groups are yet to be reached in order to establish physical progress.

Recommendations

• Transformation of a rural woman is a prerequisite for overall National and community development and further forging partnership with GFW is being requested for.

• Women in rural areas need to be equipped with Information and Communication Technologies, for improved communication, knowledge sharing and access to global, local and regional markets.

It is anticipated that this will greatly strengthen their awareness on women’s human rights and increased capacity for sustainable livelihoods.

• NVIWODA given the strength, in terms of transport, improved Secretariat and, administrative support can greatly build the capacity of the already existing grantees CBO’s, which in turn can duplicate to other marginalized grassroots women groups.