KAMWENGE DISTRICT LEADERS EMBRACE SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION

Mr. George Mainja ( right), Kasese DEO with the Mr.Eric T, Kamwenge DEO after meeting and discussions on SNE

KALI is a member of Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) working and implementing a project on Enhancing Civic Competence on Social Accountability in the Rwenzori Region. KALI operates in 18 Sub counties of Kasese district and 10 Sub counties of Kamwenge district. Under education sector we look at how we can promote and improve service delivery in the education sector together without compromising on the quality of education despite the meagre resource envelope.

RWECO-KALI held an education stakeholders meeting on 5^th December, 2012 in Kamwenge District. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the plight of education status in Kamwenge District.

During the meeting one of the action point was to have exposure visit for the Kamwenge District officials from the Education department with emphasis on Special Needs Education implementation as an inclusive package under the UPE programme.

It was upon this background that on KALI organised a two day learning exposure visit from 9^th to 10^th April, 2013 for a seven (7) people team comprising of DEO, DIS, SNE, Director St. Anthony, Speaker, Secretary for Education and PWDs representatives.    

Their interest was on how to improve on the inclusiveness of SNE in the UPE programme basing on the following objectives:

·         Sharing good practices and experiences in the implementation of SNE in Kasese District.

·         Gain knowledge, skills and appreciate how the Education Department has underscored the SNE implementation amidst the meager resources. 

Teachers of Rukoki Model Primary School, talking with Mr.Eric T, Kamwenge DEO during their visit 9th April, 2013

Participants

The visiting team was led by the DEO Kamwenge Mr. Tumwiringire Eric and accompanied by the District Speaker Hon. Gerald Twebaze, the Secretary for Education Hon. Monday Wilson, PWDs representative Hon. Ngazoire David, Education Officers in charge of SNE Mr. Mugisha Mulinde Apolo for Kitagwenda County, Mr. Nuwamanya John for Kibale County and the head teacher St. Anthony primary school Mr. Kisembo Francis.

The hosting team included the DEO Mr. George Mayinja, DIS Mr. Koliko Musa Saadallah, Retired DEO Mr. Katemba C. Douglas, KALI-RWECO staff M&E Ms Sheila Kengingo, Programme Officer Mr. Muhesi Nicholas and Driver Mr. Baguma Augustine.

PLANNING

Before the field visit we had a brief meeting at the DEO’s office in Kasese district to plan on how we can orient the visiting team and to get what their expectation and fears so as to forge the way forward for the SNE implementation.   

After the briefing the participants agreed on the sites to be visited and the following schools were selected Rukoki Model Primary School, Saad Memorial SSS, Kinyamaseke Primary School and Mpondwe Primary School that implement the SNE programme.

FINDINGS

 Rukoki Model Primary school caters for the UPE inclusive programme with 636 pupils with about 116 pupils identified having multiple disabilities and impairments. Kasese DLG chose the school to be a model to cater for all the people with Special needs in education.

In Saad Memorial SSS, the Head teacher Mr. Nkutu K.Asuman revealed that the school is a model in the western Uganda. In 2012 the school had 21 students of SNE 9 were females and 12 males in the following categories:

Totally blind (1), deaf (1), physical disability (8), partial hearing ability (4) and visual impairment (7). The head teacher Mr. Nkutu told the participants that out of 21 students 4 students were in S.4 and all sat for UCE and got certificate awards.

We opened the year 2013 with 18 students having different disabilities as shown below:

Blind (1), deaf (1), severe disability (1), physical disabilities (4), partial hearing (6), visual impairment (5).

Out of 18 students 10 are girls and 8 are boys. 

In Kinyamaseke Primary School the enrolment is 410 boys where 76 are SNE

466 girls where 60 are SNE totaling to 876 pupils where 136 are SNE. The school is the centre for Bukonzo County accommodating 26 pupils of  SNE as boarders and the rest are day scholars.

The degree of disabilities of children ranges from mild to moderate to severe to profound. The categories include hearing impairment-deaf, vision impairment-blind, mental retardation-Hydrocephalus, physical –brittle bones, stunted growth, sinal bifida 

Challenges

The head teachers for all the sites visited gave the following challenges:

·         Lack of permanent and qualified staff posted by government

·         Lack of funds to support the locally recruited staff.

·         Need to carry out renovation of incomplete block

·         Needs to support the children with disabilities in the day to day maintenance

·         Lack of care giver and the corresponding financial support

·         Lack of scholastic materials to promote leisure activities for inclusive games and sports.

·         Lack of ramps to access classes and other facilities

·         Lack of resource room and its equipment such as Braille machines, wheel chairs

·         Lack of medication services.

Lesson learnt

·         SNE is still lacks support from both the central and local governments

·         Kamwenge DLG has the opportunities to start SNE centres at any cost and use the opportunity as spring board.

·         The participants learnt that in order to succeed in the implementation of SNE programme, a multiple approach should be used such as dealing with the stakeholders that are able to support the programme.

·         The parents should be sensitized on the UPE –SNE inclusiveness programme

·         The peer to peer approach should be employed. i.e child centred approach, parent centred approach,  co-teaching and team teaching.

·         Differentiated learning is the best approach.

·          

Talking class room that works for all pupils, what about those with visual impairment?

ACTION PLAN

·         Compile a field exchange  visit report by DEO

·         Establish a district SNE management Committee by DEO

·         Advocating for establishing SNE centre/unit  by DEO

·         Identify, assess and placement of SNE children by in charge of SNE

Compiled by

Nicholas Muhesi

KALI

Communities in Bwera vows to attend LG planning meetings

The wanainchi who attended the Drama competitions April 1, 2013  at Kyampara Primary School, Isango sub county vowed to participate in local government processes  after realising that it was their responsibility to identify their needs and forward them to the sub county. The event was organised by KALI in partnership with RWECO and the focus  on social accountability in the sectors of water and health. during the event, the chief guest Mr. Hon Mayora District councilor assured community members present that," community members must stop saying water is GOD given" a fee must be paid to ensure water supply, operation and maintenance is efficient and sustained. the music competition was meant to sensitize and raise awareness on the involvement of all community members in ensuring equitable resource distribution and service delivery especially the vulnerable groups. on Health, emphasis was made on promoting preventive measures and ensuring timely reporting of cases to Health center for early treatment. according to the speech by the Chairman LC.III, sanitation and hygiene in isango sub county was not also doing well. the major reason being poor water flow and supply schedule. the annexing of the cotton belt where most landlords do not have latrines was also identified as one other challenge.

MDD was appreciated as one of the best way of raising awareness and disseminating massages to agiven community. two groups participated and the winning team received 20 T.Shirts and 130,000. the cash prize was given to the group so as to promote their Village Savings Loan Associations (VSLA) which helps improve livelihood of MDD group members.

Reported by

Geofrey Bwambale
KALI

700 Kasese pupils share single pit latrine

By Thembo Kahungu Misairi

Posted  Saturday, April 6  2013 at  01:00

Teachers at Rusese Primary school in Mpondwe-Lubiriha Town Council, Kasese District are complaining about lack of toilets in the school. The school, with 690 pupils, 470 of who are female, has only one latrine that is also shared with 18 teachers. The teachers, include 13 females. The latrine is also used by a nearby church.

According to the school’s senior woman teacher, Ms Sarah Biira, female teachers suffer the most as they collide with their male counterparts and young boys.
Ms Biira during a girl-child education seminar said this at the school on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by the Kasese woman MP, Ms Winfred Kiiza.
“We are uncomfortable with only one latrine here.

But what shall we do to overcome this?” Ms Biira asked. She said although the matter had been reported to the district authorities several years back, they have never been responded to.

No privacy
Ms Biira added that the conditions become worse when the girls are in their periods. “Our girls fear to come to school when they are in their periods because they cannot use the same place of convenience with boys,” Ms Biira said.
She asked for a changing room for girls to be constructed.

However, the secretary for social services in Mpondwe-Lubiriha Town Council, Ms Joyce Mirembe, promised that the council would construct a four-stance ventilated pit latrine at the school, though she did not say when.

The MP, tasked the parents to build walls for a classroom block and a changing room for the girls, and said she would look for funds to roof it.
Cholera outbreaks in the country have at times been blamed on lack of toilet facilities in communities.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

Accessed on 6 April, 2013 from:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/700-Kasese-pupils-share-single-pit-latrine/-/688334/1740224/-/tn73j7z/-/index.html 

Community WASH Empowers 380 HouseHolds in Kasese District

SNV in partnership with Kasese district local government, UNICEF and Embassy of the kingdom of Netherlands is implementing a 3 year community empowerment programme. The programme addresses key components of Water sanitation and hygiene at school and community level.

KALI was hereby contracted as a local capacity builder (LCB) in close partnership and collaboration with Kasese district local government is implementing the School and Community Water, sanitation and hygiene program. The CWASH is implemented in two sub counties of Nyakiyumbu in Lyakirema parish and Bwera in Kisaka parish focusing on the Kalarieke Gravity flow scheme.

The overall goal of the Community WASH component of the programme is to improve community-based rural livelihoods and development, thereby contributing to increased access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.

 The components under this are; (Planned)

• 25 existing community water points are functional

·         25 water user groups with YahuraYahuza - "Save and Borrow" (YY) saving and lending scheme for community financing of community-based water source maintenance system

·         5,663 HHs with access to safe sanitary facilities and practicing improved hygienic behaviours

• 5,663 HHs with improved hygienic behaviours and safe water chain practices

Communities in Bwera S/C trying out on a hand washing machine in 2012

The activities and Results done under this include;

·         Training Karalike GFS in water policy issues. Water policy issues were discussed by the district water engineer and this meeting enhanced behavioural and attitude changes.

·         Follow up meeting on the resolutions made in the water policy training. this meeting triggered the water BOD to;

ü  repair some leakages on the scheme,

ü  repaired 5taps that had problems (Bisika tap,Mubutu tap,Mutubya tap,Tibiyaro tap and Nyamughona P/S tap)

ü  Paid some arrears of the scheme attendant and,

ü  Mobilized water users for increasing WUF from 500= to 1000= to effectively facilitate the O&M of the scheme.

·         Multi-stakeholders meeting on the operation and management of the scheme. 38 participants (10 females & 28 males) from the two sub counties attended.

·         Training tap stand communities on strengthening the O&M, introducing the ‘’YY’’ (YehuraYehoza) strategy. 259 participants (112 females & 147) were reached in the two parishes of Lyakirema and Kisaka.

·         Commissioning of the scheme and hand over to the sub county authorities. This meeting was attended by ACAO Mr. Bihanikire Godwin, LCV was represented by Councillor Bugoye sub county,Tender board was represented by Moses, in attendance were also C/man works committee and the two sub counties were represented by political leaders.

·         Training VHTs/hand washing ambassadors on Sanitation and Hygiene to be promoted to the water users.

Action points under this for follow up in Jan-feb.2012

ü  Mobilize H/H without latrines to construct by end of January 2013

ü  Follow up TPC and council of Nyakiyumbu for resolutions on latrines in the cotton belt

ü  Health assistant Bwera sub county to develop monitoring plan for sanitation & Hygiene at h/h and will be accompanied with sub county secretary for social services.

ü  Collect data on hand washing facilities by end of Jan.2013

ü  KALI to support VHTs in triggering CLTS by end of feb.2013.

COMMUNITY WASH

Outcome 1:

% of functional community water points at the time of spot check.

1.    Out of the 7 villages in Kisaka parish, 3 are not connected to GFS. While in Lyakirema, 2 out of the 8 villages do not have access to the flow

2.    Out of the 4 tap noses vandalized by the community 3 have been replaced by the water BOD. This was as a result of the follow-up meeting held in June 2012 by KALI and SNV.

3.    3 out of 7 tap stands which had been non-functional due to poor positioning on the main pipeline have successively been corrected and are now fully functional. The water BOD is in the process of working on the remaining 4 tap stands.

4.    In Kisaka parish, 7 taps are functional, 1 of them was repaired.

5.    Whereas Lyakirema parish, 3 taps fully functional, 11 partly functional and 4 non functional (25 taps)

6.    3 of the tap stands that had not been working before have been repaired by the new water BOD as a result of SNV and KALI sensitization and support.

Parish	Functional taps	Partly functional	Non functional	Total
Lyakirema	03	11	4	18
Kisaka	5	2	0	07
Total	08	13	4	25

3 of the tap stands that had not been working for so long have been repaired by the new water BOD as a result of the interactions we held with them.

% of water points with functional water user committees

During the MSP meeting on the O&M of the scheme, we found out that only 4 of the 25 taps stand committees were functional. However, 9 of these had problems of some committee members not being active, other members migrating from one place to another, while other committee members are demoralized by the un frequent functionality of the taps and or lacking mobilization platforms for the communities.

Name of Tap	Active		Sex of com. members		Funds collected	Remarks
	Y	N	M	F	yr 2012
Ndanda		ü	4	2	35,000=	Tap C/man not active
Nyamughona  T/C	ü		3	3	35,000=
Nyamughona primary		ü	3	3	10,000=
Kisandu		ü	4	2	15,000=
Kato Joseph	ü		2	4	25,000=
Ventino		ü	2	4	7000=	Tap on & off
Paskali/Kyaghanda		ü	3	3	5,000=	20 cups of beans collected as user fee
Mbinga Tap	ü		1	5	25,000=
Namugongo		ü	3	3	5,000=
Muduha	ü		2	3	60,000=	Tap breaks due to high pressure
Kayibindulha		ü	3	3	21,000=
Bisika		ü	2	4	15,000=
Mubutu		ü	3	3	5,000=
Binayisa		ü			6,500=	Males on water committee not active
Nyakasojo Primary school		ü	3	4	5,000=	One teacher   member to committee
Sayuni		ü
Kiduvente		ü	3	3	13,000=
Kahangwa		ü	2	4	10,000=
Byamaka		ü
Muthubya		ü
Benezeri		ü	3	3	13,000=
Mithimusanju		ü
Kanyabungu		ü
Burahimu		ü
Syaipuma		ü
James tap		ü
Total					310500=	Collections for year 2012

The water committee members have been re mobilized and revitalized during the tap stand community meetings and are awaiting training. And from these sensitization meetings, all the 25 committees have started collecting the O&M funds which will be paid to the Water BOD before the close of the year 2012.

% of Water User Committees with clear mechanism for collection and utilization of the O&M funds

Out of the 25 tap committees, none of them had clear mechanisms of collecting WUF. O&M funds were being given to the scheme attendant and any other person on the former BOD. It was only through the multi-stakeholder platform and the community meetings that have specified roles of different stakeholders in the scheme. The new C/man BOD Mr. Siriyako has through SNV and KALI’s mentorship introduced a receipt system. Each person paying user fee will be issued a receipt at all levels. (From the water user, tap stand committees and BOD)

10 out of 15villages from the 2 parishes have been reached with YY information. This being new anew approach, action plans have been made to start implementation. It is through follow up that KALI shall ascertain how far this has been adopted

How many households have access to safe water?

According to the hand over report presented by Mr. Patrick Syayipuma the Kasese district assistant water engineer, Karalike GFS originally served population of 4,608 people in 576 households, 5 primary schools with a total population of 2770 pupils.

Additionally, during FY 2010/11 an extension was made from Nyamughona to Mithumusanju was done with a provision of 4 taps serving a population of 700 people. However, the households here are to be established soon. Therefore when some of the 52 tap stands are finally corrected, the scheme will serve a total number of 5308 people.

Specifically, for Lyakirema and Kisaka parishes, the total number of water users will be established through tap stand committees by the end of Dec.2012.

How far are the water sources from the village, how are gender issues being addressed? What is our role?

7.    Out of the 7 villages in Kisaka parish, 3 are not connected to GFS. While in Lyakirema, 2 out of the 8 villages do not have access to the flow

8.    Some villages like Nyamighere is big and has only 3 taps. There are 2 fully fledged more villages without access to water. This coupled with irregular flow of existing taps in the 2 parishes; women’s traveling long distances for water is still registered in Nyakiyumbu and Bwera hence calling for SNV and KALI’s advocacy on scheme extension.

The issue of gender has been given an affirmative action. This is enhanced through emphasizing 4 women representative out of 6 be elected members on each of the 25 tap stand committees.

% of Water User Committees with implementing mechanisms for collection and utilization of the O&M funds.

As result of SNV and KALI’s intervention, several meetings have been conducted focusing on strengthening the O&M of Karalike GFS as well as improving sanitation & Hygiene in the same area since February 2012, sub county leaderships of Bwera and Nyakiyumbu have been supportive. Below are mechanisms put in place by the stakeholders.

ü  Each house hold to pay WUF of 1000= every month

ü  Out of the 1000= WUF per month, 700 will be remitted to the water BOD and 300 shs will be remaining at the tap stand committee for managing.

ü  Bye-laws at tap stand community level. eg; Home visit by tap stand committee members to the defaulting water user.

ü  Issuing of receipts for WUF from individual h/h, tap stand to central BOD.

ü  Central Water BOD bye-laws. Example; if a water user defaults 2months without paying WUF, is reported to the area C/man LC I.

ü  Cooperation of Kasese district local council system with the GFS BOD from LCI, LC III and LCV. To support water related bye-laws.

During MSP on the scheme O&M held on 21 Nov.2012, tap stand C/persons aggregated their user fee collection since Feb. 2012 as; 310500=however, this figure was not collected in an organized system. Especially with the old water BOD before June 2012.

The newly elected BOD has initiated new payments model of issuing receipts for WUF from tap stand level to central water BOD so that the scheme management is enabled to function effectively

Currently, there is no any WUF fund in liquid form. During community meetings, most of them were pledging to pay by this month (December 2012)

Outcome 7:

% of targeted HH adopting appropriate technologies (e.g. ECOSAN)

% of HH with access to hand-washing facilities and tippy taps.

Following MSP facilitated by SNV/KALI in conjunction with Ass. district water engineer, action plan to train VHTs was drown and this was conceptualized on 12 dec. when MSP on sanitation & hygiene was conducted and facilitated by SNV. Objectives of the meeting were;

1.    To share the basics on CLTS with the VHTs and extension staff and agree on the roll-out plan.

2.    To discuss the safe water chain and hand washing options and agree on strategies for promotion in the communities.

Kasese district local gov’t was represented by the district health educator. In his remarks, latrine coverage at district level is at around 72%. He added that the district has been promoting water purifying methods like use of; water guard, aqua safe etc. to help reduce chances of cholera, dysentery and un usual diarrhea. He called for combined approach to sensitizing community members on sanitation and hygiene since several methods has been employed but cholera still breaks up in the district. However, he declared the district free of Cholera.

This meeting was also attended by the C/man LCIII Bwera S/C. he thanked SNV and KALI for the efforts in promotingsanitation& hygiene. The tough speaking c/man in his remarks asked participants to get more serious with their hygiene. He posed a question! How can someone come from outside the district to come and tell you to clean your home? He said health issues are no longer going to be taken like people in ‘’OMWALIKO’’ literally meaning people in the after burial meeting where they talk issues and end with little emphasis on action.

The C/man instructed assistant to give ziro tolerance to any individual without a latrine. It will be a jail case, “after all my police is new at station without work I will utilize it this time” he revealed that on 17^thdec. 2012 their will be council meeting and that the health assistant should come with S&H household monitoring program for council approval.

Action points drawn during the S&H meeting.

ü  Mobilize H/H without latrines to construct by end of January 2013

ü  Follow up TPC and council of Nyakiyumbu for resolutions on latrines in the cotton belt

ü  Health assistant Bwera Sub County to develop monitoring plan for sanitation &Hygiene at h/h and will be accompanied with sub county secretary for social services.

ü  Collect data on hand washing facilities by end of Jan.2013

ü  KALI to support VHTs in triggering off CLTS by end of feb.2013.

Recommendations:

1.    KALI has set the ground on CWASH project activities in the parishes of Kisaka and Lyakirema. There is need to affirmatively step up sensitization using theatre foras like; music dance and drama to promote Karalike GFS ownership and sanitation and hygiene by the community in the two sub counties-Bwera and Nyakiyumbu.

2.    More is still needed to sensitize for YY strategy. During the community meetings, some groups urged that 5 people had committed suicide due to challenges associated with savings.

3.    There is need to train water user committees to help them acknowledge the purpose for effective collection of WUF funds in ensuring perfect O&M of the scheme.

4.    The action points drown during the S&H meeting above should be given immediate follow-up in January 2013.

By: Scovia Masika and Geofrey Bwambale
KALI