Having an empowered and prosperous Kamwenge community is not
only a development goal but should also be viewed as a social objective so that
the vulnerable groups /special interest groups are not neglected from the
developmental government interventions.
Much as government has done a lot to reach the people of
Kamwenge and Uganda at large through various interventions, little has been
done to improve service delivery to the vulnerable groups.
O
|
n the 30th
of October 2012 KALI & RWECO team conducted an incredible consultative meeting at Kamwenge district to locate
vulnerable groups in the local government processes. The R.D.C, L.C.V chair
person, Representatives of PWDs, Women councilors & Youth councilors were
among the people who attended the meeting. The following were noted;
Although the district has an estimated number of 800 CWDs
(Children with Disabilities), there is only one private centre to cater for all
these children. (St. Anthony P/S) yet the neighboring districts like Kasese
district has 4 centers and Fort portal has 3 centers. In addition to the inadequate centers for
these CWDs, the budget for the special needs education for the whole district
for the year 2012/2013 is only 1,000,000 Ug.shillings (approximately U.S $357).
This implies that Expenditure/CWD/year is 1250/= only. Inclusive education is
not favoring these children with disabilities.
Even if the Community Based Services (C.B.S) sector has
tried to involve the PWDS through small grants , very few have benefited due to
the inadequate budgeting ( inclusive budgeting) which is already not favoring
PWDS since even the total number of PWDS
in the district is not exactly known.
For instance; the total budget for the Community Based Services
2012/2013 is 427,075,108 Ug.shillings (approximately U.S $152526.8). If this
money is spent on the 332,000 people (estimated population of Kamwenge
district), expenditure/person/year =1286.6/=, and expenditure/person/day =
3.5/= which is too small compared to the 1 US dollar (approximately 2800/= (Ug.shillings)
needed for every human being per day. Such budgeting really can’t make the
district meet its vision and mission. Besides even if it was spent on women
alone in the district, it will still be inadequate as only 6.7/= will be spent
on each woman (there are 173,400 females in the district).
Not only that, but even
in the water sector, PWDS are not considered when planning and budgeting for
water supply in the district yet majority of them cannot access the water
points due to their locations in the valleys.(hence this increases the
vulnerability of PWDs to water related diseases). There is need to extend water
supply facilities to PWDS for instance water harvesting tanks will help the
severely impaired access water easily.
“We
the PWDs are not considered when mapping water sources yet some of us are
severely impaired. Some water sources should be located at least in close
proximity to PWDs”. Also we should be considered in agriculture sector through
adopting mechanization since majority of us cannot easily cultivate with garden
hoes due to severe impairment. (One of the participants who was totally blind
commenting during the presentation).
By Nabankema Victoria (KALI)
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