KALI visited
Bukangara Twanzane Women savings and credit at their premises in Bukangara
Trading Center in the early hours of the morning. KALI wanted to hear the stories from these CBO about their livelihood.
The group is comprised of 30 members of which 27 are women plus three men who act as advisers.
The group is comprised of 30 members of which 27 are women plus three men who act as advisers.
Mrs
Kabugho Jane welcomed KALI and prayed thanking God for the
day and prayed for journey mercies for everyone after the meeting. The members
through the chairperson showed their gratitude for having received goats from
KALI. KALI gave them five goats and these were distributed to
the five members who grazed them on behalf of the group. Then KALI supported
them with a skills training from which members learnt how to make shopping
baskets. The skill was welcomed by members who in turn made many shopping bags
that were ready for marketing. Unfortunately, the market was low and the group
decided to sell off the baskets and finance another skilling in making baskets
used for serving food. However, the balance after procuring the basket
materials was used to procure one goat. This was in addition to the five goats
KALI had procured. The five goats earlier procured produced four kids. In May, KALI added the group 6 goats. This in
total made it 16 goats (Multiplying effect). its projected that in one year every member of the group will own a goat. Mrs Masika Mary further explained how the different
sensitization meetings have opened their eyes in terms of knowing how parents
violate children and how this can be stopped. She talked about mid day meal as
one of the ways of violence against children. She was surprised to realize how
hard an adult can react if denied food or served food late yet its these same
adults who send their children to school without food. She said its impossible
for such pupil to concentrate in class mostly after lunch hours. Bukangara Twanzane Women group have been trained on how mobilize and organize a neighborhood assembly and they held a neighborhood assembly at Bukangara Catholic church to discuss issues concerning children. KALI trained them on how to conduct a
neighborhood assembly and this has increased their confidence and improved
their public speaking skills. She gave an evidence like when she attended the
district dialogue meeting a forum of district leaders represented from Local
council I level to the Local Council IV level, civil servants and other
stakeholders. In this meeting she presented without fear which she could not do
before KALI intervention. Ms Joy Mbambu also affirmed that the group intra
relationship has increased.
Women have realized that their group is growing and they want to grow with it. She said that KALI trained them in group dynamics, book keeping and these skills have improved their SACCO in terms of transparency and also built trust amongst the members. The group meets every Monday for savings and crediting and that after this activity, members also talk about their family issues where they share and give advice to the grieved, share good practices for other members to copy and apply.
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| Mary Masika presenting her group during the district dialogue meeting |
Women have realized that their group is growing and they want to grow with it. She said that KALI trained them in group dynamics, book keeping and these skills have improved their SACCO in terms of transparency and also built trust amongst the members. The group meets every Monday for savings and crediting and that after this activity, members also talk about their family issues where they share and give advice to the grieved, share good practices for other members to copy and apply.
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| Members of Bukangara Twanzane group receiving their goats |
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| Bukangara Twanzane Women group posing with their goats |
They also
have a task to sensitize other families in the neighborhood to prevent violence
against children.
KALI then
visited Katwe Tourism Information Center located in Katwe Kabatooro
Town
Council.
This community entirely depends on two economic activities mainly
fishing and salt mining. The fishing community basically relies on the sale of
fish to the out communities. This has activities like fishing, net drying and
reloading fishing nets. It is evident that most laborers here are children and
adolescents. The chairperson narrated how they received KALI to work together
in prevention of VAC. She said that they then received training in capacity
gaps that the group had requested to be trained in. They trained in group
dynamics, book keeping and how to make energy saving cooking stoves. After this
training, KALI gave a grant of five hundred thousand shillings (500,00/=) of
which KATIC members agreed to start up a saving scheme. They however requested
all members to boast this SACCO with 50,000/= each to increase the loan
portfolio for members to be able to save. KALI then supported them with a
training in making shopping baskets. KATIC received a trainer who camped for
three days and all members got the skill of making shopping bags. KALI then
handed them materials to use for the training and after training and they
weaved many baskets. However during the sunny season, members decided that
money from the baskets be used to stock their fridge for demand for cold drinks
was high. The group also agreed that
money in the SACCO be invested in buying salt from the salt mines and be sold
during the rainy season. This could double their income after the season and
resume with their SACCO. KALI then added them a grant of five hundred thousand
shillings to continue with their savings and credit scheme and again members
are boasting it with a minimum savings of fifty thousand shillings only.
The women group members are
so happy to work with KALI and also that the empowering program has reduced
violence against children since members are able to provide through a small
loan scheme or through the sales from the art items to children and able to
send them to school. Some members of these groups are model couples and others
participated in the selection of model couples to boast them do the prevention
work. Group members have also taken it to themselves to sensitize their neighbors on VAC and how it can be prevented. All the above groups have counseling sessions after the group activities to advise some members who need
advise on matters concerning parenting and domestic violence.
Prepare by
Gilbert Masereka
