HARD TO REACH! HARD TO LIVE! HARD TO COME BACK!

KALI is implementing the CEP program supported by SNV and UNICEF in the 15 primary schools of Bukumbia, Mahango, Nyamisule, Bishop Egdio, St. peters Kibalya in Mahango sub county, Kitabu, Kitabona, Kyarumba, Kihungu and Kihungamiyagha in Kyarumba sub county, Buhathiro and Kibirigha in Ihandiro sub county, Mpondwe primary and Nyabugando P/S in Mpondwe Lhubiriha town council, and Kisolholho primary school in karambi sub county. Among them, others are located in places where KALI especially staff (implementers) face a problem with hard to reach, hard to live and hard to come back areas like the Mahango, Kyarumba and Ihandiro schools where by no staff would are willing to ride a motorcycle or vehicle in such areas due to the fact that it is very risky and hence we hire boda boda men who are experts in riding in such areas. The highest fee of hire being 50,000= per day in Mahango. But to Kihungamiyagha primary school, no vehicle and motorcycle can reach there (no roads) as you can see in the picture above.

It was hard for me to climb to the school (the furthest area in Kyarumba sub county) to train girls and mothers in making re-usable menstrual pads (RUMPs) under WASH program where I spent three and a half hours before reaching there, and sloping down was the most complicated thing to make without a stick but I had to move entirely to achieve my target. This affected the time set for the training. Nevertheless, the participants were very much interested in the program despite the fact of late arrival; they waited and attended fully up to the end.

This therefore is to appeal to government to consider constructing a road network so that people in such areas can access services to improve on their way of life.

IHANDIRO SUB COUNTY GETS PERFORMANCE BONUS

Back ground

KALI has been working with Ihandiro Sub County on issues of Gender budgeting and governance, emphasizing planning and budgeting.

Ihandiro Sub County is found in Kasese district, Bukonzo west constituency. Being a mountainous area, its road network and communication is poor and therefore a hard to reach and hard to live area.

For many years, Ihandiro Sub County was one of the least performing sub counties in Kasese district in planning and budgeting for the community members. This was due to inadequate skills in planning and budgeting by the technical staff, committees and the elected leaders; planning process was basically desk work without involving the communities.

Through KALI monitoring findings, the above were revealed and interventions were designed in agreement with the sub county leadership, to improve the planning process.

KALI organized a meeting with the sub county leadership where action plans were drawn and a sub county gender budget advocacy group was established which helped in ensuring gender sensitive plans and budgets.

KALI then organized training workshops aimed at developing the capacities of the sub county leaders and technical staff in planning and budgeting processes which included their roles and responsibilities and thereafter, facilitated the planning meetings right from the village level to sub county level. This included supporting the budget conferences.

Because of the above interventions, I handiro sub county is now one of the best performing sub counties in the district. There has been a great improvement in the planning and budgeting processes and increased community participation at the grassroots level to the sub county level. This is portrayed by effective participation of councilors, the community and other stakeholders in the process especially the budget conferences to ensure their priorities are incorporated in the sub county development plan. This forms the basis for assessing any sub county’s performance, and hence a ground for bonus. For the financial years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011, Ihandiro sub county has been in position of getting these performance bonuses and this has increased on the sub county income.

Some members of the community taking part in the planning process in Ihandiro sub county

In view of the above, most communities are willing and ready to participate in any development intervention as long as they are informed /invited and therefore, for effective planning and budgeting of any sub county, there is need for participation of all stakeholders.

By Betty K - KALI

THE PRIDE OF A WOMAN IS FINALLY RECOVERED IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

It has been long since the girl child has suffered silently with menstrual problems in primary schools. Most girls have no information about how their bodies change from childhood to adulthood and those who know from science do not take it serious because they study to pass! Mothers fear to talk about it because they are shy! Then who will speak out for the young generation?
KALI has taken this seriously because it found out that most girls drop out of school because of menstrual hygiene. They do not get enough information about menstruation that when they finally face it, they stain their clothes in class and boys laugh at them which embarrass them and they finally leave school or isolate themselves from other people because they think that they are abnormal.
You may wonder now what these children have been using as pads. I happened to ask that question to girls from Buhathiro, Kihungamiyagha , Kihungu primary schools and they told me that they use old clothes stolen from their little siblings nappies, some pick these old clothes from garbage pits, and others just stay in bed to spoil their beddings. Worse still, these girls do not have knickers to hold these clothes, yet they have to involve in school co-curricular activities at school. This causes to their pads to drop in public and there is no more embarrassment than this. It clearly explains why the enrolments of girls reduce as they grow to be promoted to higher classes.
KALI therefore came up with the idea of making re-usable pads (RUMPS). We first sensitize the children about menstrual hygiene then demonstrate on how to make these pads. We use a clean cotton or poplin cloth, a scissor, an exercise book for measurements, a needle, a thread, a button, chalk or pencil to measure, and any cotton or thick clean cloth, a Kittenge or even a towel to make a re-usable pad which is made to imitate the disposable pads sold in the shops. This has been done in 15 schools of Bukumbia, Mahango, Nyamisule, Bishop Egdio, St. peters Kibalya in Mahango sub county, Kitabu, Kitabona, Kyarumba, Kihungu and Kihungamiyagha in Kyarumba sub county, Buhathiro and Kibirigha in Ihandiro sub county, Mpondwe primary and Nyabugando P/S in Mpondwe Lhubiriha town council, and Kisolholho primary school in karambi sub county.
The girls! Ooh they are very happy that someone can live happily as one girl from Kibirigha   primary school said “at last! The embarrassment of stamping is over”. And even the mothers who attended appreciated the idea that they promised to sensitize other parents towards the same but still need to be sensitized.
This program needs to reach a wider area and this is to appeal to partners and donors to save the girl child, especially those in hard to reach schools to inspire their future. This will indeed make the world a better place to leave.

By Masika Scovia
KALI

CM day kamwenge

       CM day in kamwenge

MPs Respond to Citizens Demands in Kamwenge District

ISSUES RAISED DURING THE RADIO TALKSHOW AND RESPONSES BY THE MPS (Q &A)

AS ON 29/6/2012 AT PRIME TIME 6:00 -7:00 PM UNDER RWECO –KABUGA PROGRAMME ON VOK

Hon. Frank Tumwebaze (right), Hon. Dorothy (middle) and Muhesi during a radio talk show in Kamwenge

Sector	Issues raised calls in on VOK as on 29/6/2012	General Responses from the MPS
Health Services	A caller posed a question to the MPS that: It appears that there is no or little support from our leaders on HIV/AIDS and Cancer of cervix and breasts?.	District Woman MP Hon. Dorothy Nshaija supported 8 women for Cancer of breast and cervix. 4 women were found victims of multiple breast and cervical cancer. A mother of 4 children at age of 25 years old had both cancer of breast and cervical and an HIV/AIDS. So she told the gathering that HIV/AIDS is on rise in Kamwenge District. She  urged CSOs-RWECO to mobilize and sensitize the masses They are all on free treatment. The Ambulances for Rukunyu Health Centre IV and Ntara HC IV are in place and urged citizens to use them effectively.
	The citizens engaged the MPs on what is the fate of Rukunyu HC IV, Biguli HC II and Mpanga?	Biguli and Kabambiro HCs will be Upgraded from HCII to HC III. Mpanga will be created and work as HC II to reduce on the congestion of outpatients in Rwamwanja Refugee Camp and its environs. Rukunyu Health Center IV is being refurbished and the MPS are lobbying for it is upgrading to Hospital status. Maternity ward and the theatre are being constructed at Rukunyu HC IV and they will be stocked with all the essential supplies. He urged the HUMC to be vigilant on the Sanitation and Hygiene in the Wards and OPDs. Kanara HC III to get a maternity ward Padoropio is a missionary  HC to be upgraded into Hospital Repair of the standby generator at Ntara HC IV where so far over 90 women have delivered and operated using the generator as source of power.
Production and Marketing	NAADS- Two callers  demanded for community purchase rather than open domestic bidding or/micro procurement in order to have impact on the farmers as most of the cost is for administration-service providers.	The MPS promised to follow the issue since Hon MP Frank is on the Finance Sectoral committee of the Parliament. He promised to influence the cabinet not to be tendering NAADS money instead use community purchase.
	A caller from Mahyoro S/C informed the MPs on the delay of planting materials and seeds (cuttings, vines, beans, maize, G/nuts) normally delay and NAADS impact is not felt in the community. This has affected the food security of the farmers.	The MPs asked the District Speaker to table the issue in the council to first be minuted so that community procurement can be advocated for. This  allow will make NAADS be owned by the beneficiaries
	Pond Fish farming; A caller from Mahyoro engaged the MP on why NAADS has neglected the fish farms? We have no nets for fishing	The Woman MP promised to talk to the district NAADS Coordinator and the Fisheries Department for the total support in fish production gears
	Coffee Farming. Hima has given coffee seedlings are they for free?	Yes…everyone will get coffee seedlings. Hima will give 7 million seedlings and they asked the citizens to plant and take care of the coffee. First batch will be one million seedlings.
Roads and works	Four (4) callers from Katoma, Mpanga, Kyakanyemera and Kabuga cell engaged the MPs on the status of the roads and works in the district.	MPS lobbied for Road unit equipment for the district. The district and S/Cs will be buying only fuel to the graders and tippers. Two motorcycles one for Kibale and Kitagwenda Counties will be given each. Kamwenge-Fort portal Road to be upgraded to tarmac this FY 2012/13.
Education	USE Programme: Five (5) callers from Nyabbani S/C engaged the MPS on how their Secondary schools have benefited from the USE programme.	The following secondary schools were put to benefit from USE funds: Nyabbani, Biguli, Kabambiro, Mohyoro and Kyabenda for the construction of classrooms and VIP latrine stances.
	UPE Programme	The Woman Mp Hon. Dorothy distributed 50 mattresses to 45 girl child and 5 boy child in the primary schools. But a girl from Rwanjanza P/S disappointed the MP as the girl was impregnated and dropped out of school.
Governance and Democracy	Land use and Land titles issues: Residents of Kamwenge appealed to the MPs to secure the Rwamwanja Land from the Refugee settlement-UNCHR County creation: Kibale County the MP Frank wants it to be split into another one. But people mostly the youth are not in for county but for Town councils and town boards.	The MPS urged all the residents of Kamwenge district both public and private to lease their pieces of land and acquire land titles. The MP. Frank has organized 10 Households to contribute some money so that they survey their land and secure the land titles. He urged district land board through the District Speaker and his Council to lobby RWECO-KALI to support the Land Board on VOK FM Radio to explain to the citizens the issues of land title acquisition procedure. The MP asked LC IV and District Council to table it in their councils before he comes in.  The MPS promised the citizens to be taken at Rwakitura-to meet the President on the issues of Rwamwanja and Creation of Town Councils as source job creation avenues.

NB: A total of 16 callers called in and the MPs were happy to hear from the various callers from the two counties.

WHAT A DAY IN KAMWENGE

BACK GROUND

In February and March 2011, the people of Uganda elected their representative as mandated by the Uganda Constitution ( 1995) and the Local Government  Act ( 1997 as amended). In preparation for the general elections, the citizens of Uganda in a bid to break the rhetoric of  listening to the candidates presenting their manifestos, made a u-turn in the campaign strategy and instead presented the Citizens’ manifesto. This was the first time ever in the history of elections in Uganda for citizen’s to say no to the usual campaign slogans of if you vote me into power   “ I will do..” but it was “ these are our concerns if you take our agenda we shall vote you into power.” The citizen’s agenda is what we call the citizen’s manifesto.  

A Citizens’ manifesto outlines aspiration of the citizens of Uganda of a country that they wish to see and live in.

Objectives of the CM

• Reverse the democracy deficits and contribute to the realization of the democracy dividends beyond elections;
• Strengthen citizen and civic competence as part of the demand side of good governance;
• Restore hope and meaning in the democratization process by mobilizing Ugandans citizen’s to engage;
• Develop a citizen leaders’ social contract that will lead to great leadership downward accountability and citizen pro-activeness

Based on these objectives ten key concerns were identified by the citizens to guide the process of citizen engagement;

^1.        Wide  spread corruption

^2.        Wide  spread poverty

^3.        Declining fortunes of the  Agricultural sector

^4.        Environmental degradation and climate change challenge

^5.        Poor infrastructure

^6.        Growing un employment  opportunities

^7.        Break down in the health delivery system

^8.        Poor quality education and mismatch with Uganda’s needs

^9.        An unsustainable population growth rate in Uganda

^10.     Very low levels of civic consciousness.

The Speaker Kamwenge district, responding to the queries in the citizens report

Today we are gathered here to ask our selves whether our leaders that we voted one year back have delivered on their manifestos vis-à-vis the citizen’s manifesto. As CBOs and monitors of Kamwenge, we have made a review of the district workplan and budget, and we wish to share our findings with the leaders of our district.

We shall present our findings in the following themes:

District/sub county Plan and the Citizens Manifest

Sector	Planed  2011/12	Actual delivered	Comments (observations)
Health and Sanitation		Recruited health staff and posted to the health units	The citizens are concerned with the posting of the staff to only HCIIIs, HCIIs have not been considered, yet that’s where most of the poor peasants live
		Renovated Rukunyu Health Center IV, VIP latrine constructed, Maternity ward constructed	- the citizens appreciate this action by the district but demand that the  maternity ward should be equipped to serve the large numbers
		Delivered bicycles to village health teams	-this has helped the VHTs to reach out the community however, in some sub counties, a fee was levied, we ask the district chair man if it was a requirement. This was observed in Ntara, and Kicheche, also 3 bicycles have not been delivered to the VHTs in Kalemba cell, Wandagano and Kinyamugara Central
Production and environment		Under NAADS: -the district has secured coffee seedlings, goats and cows.	-the beneficiaries are glad to report that this effort will push them out of poverty. However, they request for more extension services from the veterinary and agriculture department -the over costing of inputs like goats e.g. Naads goat is costed at shs. 100,000/=   compared to the shs. 70,000/= in the open market. -the Naads budget does not conform with the poverty levels in the district, yet its highly funded-
		Kamwenge is blessed with Byabasambu Farm Institute located in Kahunge but not funds were allocated in the budget	-what is the district plan to use this farm institute since agriculture is the back born of our people?
		-the district chairperson has come out to mobilize the citizens to plant trees and has indicated that all leaders should be the example	-need for a bye-law to enforce this initiative and more focus be put on the recovery of wetlands and river banks- Mpanga river- -less funding was observed in this sector yet it affects the climate and other sectors
Basic Education		-the citizens noted that the ratio of teacher: pupil narrowed to the required standard -staff quarters have been constructed, classrooms are also improved, and performance is slowly improving -parents contribute was also observed as in attending meetings and registering their children	-our concern is to ask the district leaders on the plan to improve the academic standard vs the enrolment -ways of strengthening the monitoring and inspection of UPE and USE funded schools - the concern by the citizens is that our children are going without lunch, yet government says parents should not pay.
Water and sanitation		-we observed that the sector was underfunded in the last budget and therefore less has been achieved	-we need the district commitment and ask for more funding in this sector
Governance		-we observe that Kamwenge district is enforcing the leadership code Act, and other anti-corruption laws	-follow up the case of Kamwenge TC staff . Our concern for the district is to strengthen and enforcing the laws on misuse of public funds- like the theft of electric poles in Kicheche, the UWA funds in Nyabani sub county.
		Training of SACCO management, SMC, HUMC and VHTs was observed in the last year	-Chairperson, most of the SACCOs are closing due to governance issues like in Kicheche, Nyabani and Kicwamba sub counties. We need your intervention in this sector
Infrastructure	Opening up of community access roads	-spot maruming of Kamwenge –Kabuga at Shs. 9M done - Kicheche- Nyabitoma- reopened -Nkarakara –Rukunyu road, Rugonjo –Bigaga road, Katoma –Bukindanyindo road in Kahunge have been done	-citizens not happy with the workmanship because the drainage was not well done - this was done at night where the community was not allowed to observe the work - Mr. chairperson, the drainage of most roads was not worked on
Gender –Youth, elderly and Children		- we observed that the district allocated little funds to the youth and women activities.	- we need the district stand on the youth fund, the alternative to the youth library that has been hired out, the resource centre for Kahunge.

Mr. Chairperson, this is not all but we have carefully studied the district and sub county budgets and compiled the information that we fill need your immediate attention and the leaders of Kamwenge. At the same note, our representative have not been giving us feedback on some government programs and yet we elected you to take our voice. Our other concern is about the community action planning (CAPs) spirit that has slowly disappeared in Kamwenge, but also our neighboring districts are faced with the same challenge. We are aware of the limited resource envelope but we can use the existing structures to compile planning data. We offer our selves to be a guide if called by the district and sub county planners- PDCs, VDCs and the Community Monitors.

Kamwenge district LCV Chair, Mr. Edward Kamasaka while responding to citizens report

Mr. Chairperson and all the people here, we as CBOs in Kamwenge work with other development partners present here- Karambi Action for Life Improvement which is a member of RWECO and CEWIT. We also acknowledge the team from DGAP and Oxfam Novib, that today marks a historic event in Kamwenge where the citizens engage with the leaders to get feedback on their manifestos vis-à-vis the Citizens’ manifesto and make a way forward for Kamwenge district

We conclude by wishing everybody a nice deliberations and engagement.

On behalf of CBOs and Monitors from

1. Kahunge  sub county
2. Kicheche  sub county
3. Kamwenge Town Council
4. Nyabani  sub county
5. Bwizi sub county
6. Buhanda sub county
7. Kabambiro sub county
8. Busiriba sub county
9. Kamwenge sub county

10.Ntara sub county

    Presented by:

…………………………….

Kazungu Didas