Skills & Capacity Programming4Development - The Case of Uganda

Documentation By: Ger Odock Programming, Documentation & Capacity Building Specialist

Documentation period in Review: May, 2013 – Nov., 2014

Documenting built capacities & strengthened systems

Turning

Situations into

Opportunities

Skills & Capacity Programming4Development 1

Capacity building is an effective feature in promoting individual and organizational efficacy to improve the

quality of pre-defined outputs / outcomes. In this reading, i present the benefits accrued through this

approach as well as successes to & by individuals, organizations and groups. In doing so, I propose a host

of principle recommendations aimed at strengthening and promoting efficacy in collaboration between

ActionAid; it’s Partner Organizations and the Youth Communities.

Through frontloading a technical and theoretical empowerment ideology, my interventions have been

anchored on; developing competencies that matter to the Youth and organizations that work with

ActionAid as Partners; engaging in supportive roles; identifying and nurturing strengths; frontloading the

concept and need for sustainability; institutionalizing and utilizing acquired skills; and all the while

identifying, respecting and accommodating cultural and contextual practices.


Table of Contents Shortenings and Terms ..................................................................................................................................................... 3

Acronyms and Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Principle Appreciation ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Working Strategy .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 The KPIs for Busiki LRP & Its Partner ...................................................................................................................... 6 Terms of Reference (TOR) ........................................................................................................................................ 6

Momentary of Target ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 1.0: Youth .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 2.0: AAU Partner Organizations .......................................................................................................................... 9

Busiki LRP’s Journey ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 3.0: Namutumba and Iganga Districts ............................................................................................................... 10

Working with the Youth ................................................................................................................................................ 11 4.0: Tasks Accomplished / Achievements / Stories of Success / Groups / Data & Ratios ................... 11 4.1: Tasks Accomplished ..................................................................................................................................... 11 4.2: Achievements ................................................................................................................................................. 11 4.3: Stories of Success .......................................................................................................................................... 12 4.4: Youth Groups ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Ivukula Sub County ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Nsinze Sub County................................................................................................................................................. 13 Kibaale Sub County ................................................................................................................................................ 14

5.0: Data and Ratios .............................................................................................................................................. 14 5.1: Graphic Representation of Youth Groups & Quote........................................................................ 14 5.2: Graphic Representation of Youth Ventures ...................................................................................... 15 5.3: Graphic Representation of VSLAs ........................................................................................................ 15

Support to LRP and Partners ........................................................................................................................................ 16 6.0: Tasks Accomplished / Achievements / Success Stories / Quotes ..................................................... 16 6.1: Tasks Accomplished ..................................................................................................................................... 16 6.2: Achievements ................................................................................................................................................. 17 6.3: Stories of Success .......................................................................................................................................... 17 6.4: Youth and Partners’ Quotes ....................................................................................................................... 18

Discoveries and Pitches.................................................................................................................................................. 19 7.0: Conclusions and Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 19 7.1: Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 19 7.2: Conclusions .................................................................................................................................................... 19

7.2.1: Youth ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 7.2.2: Partner Organizations ......................................................................................................................... 20

7.3: Recommendations ......................................................................................................................................... 20 7.3.1: AAU-Busiki LRP .................................................................................................................................... 20 7.3.2: Youth ....................................................................................................................................................... 20 7.3.3: Partner Organizations ......................................................................................................................... 21

Online Presence ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 8.0: YouTube and Blog Spots ............................................................................................................................. 22

8.1.1: You Tube ................................................................................................................................................ 22 8.1.2: Blog Posts ............................................................................................................................................... 22

Interactive Platforms ....................................................................................................................................................... 24


Section

I

Acronyms and Abbreviations AA/U ActionAid / Uganda CDD Community Driven Demand CSPIV Country Strategy Paper Four (IV) DP Director of Programs FAD Finance and Administration FGDs Focus Group Discussions GBV Gender Based Violence HIV/AIDS Human Immuno Virus / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome IASL Impact Assessment and Shared Learning IDNGOF Iganga District Non-Governmental Organization Forum IDs Identifications IGAs Income Generating Activities IT Information Technology KCP Key Change Promise KMs Kilometers KPIs Key Performance Indicators LRP Local Rights Programme M & E Monitoring and Evaluation NAADs National Agricultural Advisory Services NACWOLA National Council of Women Living with HIV/AIDS NDNGOF Namutumba District Non-Governmental Organization Forum NSHAWA Nsinze Sub County HIV Workers Association OCAs Organizational Capacity Assessments P & C Policy and Campaign P4C People for Change PDM Program Development Manager RDC Resident District Commissioner TfDs Theatre for Development UGX Uganda Shillings VSLAs Village Savings and Loans Associations YLP Youth Livelihood Program

Shortenings and Terms


Section

II

Acknowledgements

irst and foremost I take this great opportunity to thank Arthur Larok - Country Director; ActionAid Uganda Country program for the opportunity to be part and parcel of this great team that has and continues to work with the poor and marginalized in our society to remedy societal ills and shortfalls that cause poverty and other human rights injustices. I am infinitely honored to

have been a ‘bolt’ in huge engine that is ActionAid Uganda shifting gears towards delivering the promises and aspirations of the road map strategy (CSPIV) 2012 - 2017.

Secondly and at international level, I would like to thank People4Change (P4C). Specifically I reach out to; The P4C Data Base Coordinator - Vibeke Odd Jensen for facilitating my placement in Uganda and more specifically in Busiki – I appreciate. At Country Office, I thank and recognise the support, guidance and leadership efforts accorded to me by Nina Narvesten; the P4C Coordinator & Ivan Mpagi; the P4C Officer.

At Country Office, I also recognise the following ActionAiders;

DP - Harriet Robina GIMBO, PDM - Richard OLONG, P&C Manager - Fredrick KAWOOYA, IASL Manager - Stanley WABUSOBOZI, Sponsorship Coordinator - Saida BOGERE & Projects Manager - Simon PETER WOLUMELI. Advisors; Sarah MUYONGA & Anders LARSEN - outgoing - (Tax Team), Soren BJERREGAARD (Communications), Fayaz AHMAD (Governance) & Mishka MARTIN (Youth). LRP Coordinators; Samuel NTALE, Miriam CHERUKUT, Fred WANDERA, Aggrey KIBET, Ednance KIIZA & Job Isaac OONYU (Ag. Program Coordinator - Pallisa). LRP Program Officers; Janet ASIIMWE, Carol ABILAT, David ASUBU, Timothy KABAALE, Betty NAMATOVU & Samanya KYATEGEKA (the latter three stationed at National Office) & FADs; Edith MUHUMUZA & Dan BWETE. IT; Andrew Colin YOTI & David MUGUMYA, Oil Uganda Staff Writer - Beatrice Ongonde, Administrative Officer – Jane Ochan MBABAZI just to mention but a few.

Thirdly, i extend my sincere gratitude to Busiki LRP staff & Partners for embracing and offering to work with me since May 2013 late into evenings and through the weekends. I recognise and appreciate your overall coordination, organization and support during my entire placement period. These have been central and at the core of successfully implementing my tasks and supporting AAU systems and complementing its body of works.

F

Principle Appreciation


Special recognition and infinite appreciation go to Janet ASIIMWE & Edith MUHUMUZA - you both have been, are and will continue being ‘candle light’ to me over and above all else. Others are; Francis ISIKO (Sponsorships and Resource Person), Masia TEOPISTAR (Program Trainee), Ednance KIIZA (Program Coordinator), Mohammed MPANGA (Logistics), Charles EMESU (FAD) & Support Staff - Millicent NAMATOVU.

Last but not least; my sincere appreciations go to the Youth Fraternity of Kibaale, Nsinze, Ivukula & Magada Sub Counties and Katakwi, Pallisa & Kapchorwa Districts alongside those of Namutumba Town Council for the work we have been able to and will continue to do together.

Indeed, I am indebted to the entire AAU fraternity for my exposure, growth and development and above all, the priceless opportunity to work with the people of Uganda – The Pearl of Africa! Sincere gratitude goes to individuals with whom I had one-on-one engagements therein sharing their valuable time, insights, professional experiences and expertise.


Executive Summary

This report provides a reference point to my technical and theoretical support to AAU field office (LRP) in Busiki. Focus was on KPIs corresponding with my terms and building into the commitments of the CSPIV, the M&E framework and other AA/U guiding documents. Busiki Local Rights Programme has programmatic presence in Namutumba and Iganga districts through four partnerships leading to broader indirect engagements in the larger Busoga Region. Readership of this report puts into perspective established behavioral and practice shifts by communities (Youth) and AAU-Busiki Partners whilst also putting to light identified shortfalls as well as successes by organizations working with and being supported by AAU in Namutumba and Iganga districts.

The KPIs for Busiki LRP & Its Partner

Like other AAU Field Offices, Busiki LRP has its work cut out in terms of focus areas. This approach enables all programming engagements to be community based and user frontloaded. The schematic below shows the priority areas being tackled under CSPIV by the LRP.

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Despite being in the same placement for 18 months, the TOR for both placements focused on different themes. 2013 themes were strategically scaled up by 2014 themes. The table below details the same. Placement Yr. Key Actions Capacity Gaps

2013 • M & E

• Documentation

• Documentation

• Impact reporting at LRP and partner level

• IT Capacity Building

• Fund Raising, Resource Mobilization & Concept/Proposal Formulation

2014 • M & E

• Advocacy & Campaigns

• Structural networking , synergies & coordination

• Advocacy, Communication and Campaign

• Monitoring and Evaluation

Illiteracy

Poverty

HIV/AIDS

GBV

Malnutrition

Leadership


Working Strategy A successful plan is one that informs the needs of individuals, group, organization or society’s activities as well as its/their long-range view, and one that yields meaningful improvements in effectiveness, capacity and relevance. For 18months, I have worked with and supported Busiki Local Rights Program staff and its systems, Youth communities of Busiki and Partner Organizations to broadly develop embrace in-depth and sustained effectiveness and work ethic. Although the challenges of funding, governing, and managing individual and organization, certain lessons apply across the board. The features of my planning did vary - as regards scope, emphasis or specific issues. This section highlights six (6) important pillars that I formulated and applied to promote successful program implementation as per my terms.

1. Understanding and appreciation of external opportunities and challenges Social, political and economic trends continually impact on the demand for services. Despite the fact that advances in technology present new opportunities, they also generate a host of expectations. Needs and community demographics are all subject to change. So too are methods for delivering programs and services. It is thus essential that Programs, services and operations are reviewed and restructured in to ascribe to the current realities and future aspirations. 2. The participatory approach Stakeholders should have a voice in the planning effort. At a minimum, that includes staff, board members and community members. In effective good planning, I am always awake to the fact that it is not the exclusive responsibility of a small cadre of stakeholders. It must incorporate the views of all the constituencies that will be affected by the plan or have a role in its implementation.

3. Learning from best practices

Organizations have their own individualized mission, target group and operating culture. Thus, each must map a strategy, incorporating goals and action steps carefully customized to its needs. 4. Clarity and prioritization While missions and visions are essential to inspiring commitment to individuals, groups and organization, they may be seen as hollow unless accompanied by an organized description of activities needed to fulfill desired aims. 5. Patience For individuals, groups and / or small and mid-size organizations, strategic planning often moves forward on a speedy timetable. When an organization is making major changes and needs extensive buy-in, the process may not be perfectly linear. As information is gathered, sifted and analyzed, assumptions are rethought, new ideas advanced and old ones revamped or discarded.

6. A commitment to change

No matter how relevant its original mission, no organization, group or community can afford to

shackle itself to the same goals, programs and operating methods year in, year out. As needs,

market conditions and funding criteria change, strategies need to be revisited regularly. Sometimes

all that’s needed is fine-tuning; other times, a more fundamental rethinking of goals and

opportunities may be required. If they are to remain viable and effective, organizations must be

prepared to change as extensively as conditions require.


Key Change Promise 6: By 2017, we will have mobilized over five million youth to take sustained action towards building a poverty-free planet.

Section

III

1.0: Youth Uganda has committed to international human rights treaties; an involvement aimed at guaranteeing the realization of the right to quality education however, legislative and policy frameworks are still weak and possess inadequacies in guaranteeing the right to education and competitive outcomes. This reveals that seen and unforeseen gaps in edifices contribute immensely to the inconsistency between the promise and realization of education as a human right. It reveals the essence of expanding public expenditure and promotion of public and private sector partnerships to support Youth programs by government on programs such as - Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADs) and Community Driven Demand (CDD) among others. This report proposes that policy and any remedial action aimed at addressing societal challenges facing Youth programming and gaps in partner organizations must deliberately pay attention to; informed inclusivity for broader understanding, learning & practice and ownership for individual and group replicability purposes and longer term sustainability for in-depth growth and development in a multifaceted sphere. The analysis concludes that significant challenges remain with respect to accessing and retaining access to education, provision of qualitative services, information and spaces to practice and enjoy human rights on the part of the Youth. While this may not necessarily be the single most influencing factor informing the challenges that the Youth face, it plays a significant role. Having exited the schooling system, most Youth lack the requisite basic skills that enable them be strategic, potent and competitive in Uganda and beyond. Nonetheless, it is not a lost cause as AAU is awake to the fact that the Youth make up more than three-quarters of the Country’s population and in effect are a great human resource and focus group in development matters in Busiki and the Country as a whole. On this basis, AA’s KCP 6 guides engagements to support both in and out-of-school Youth acquire and put into practice relevant skills and capacities to support themselves economically and otherwise.

Momentary of Target


2.0: AAU Partner Organizations

AA/U has a unique feature of programming, one that endeavors to guarantee broad based reach, ownership, in-depth understanding and sustainability. This feature entails working through and with locally based CBOs and in effect building their capacities on Board Management, Organizational Systems, Human, Finance and Programming facets among others. It also delves deeper and works hand in hand with community members themselves hence understanding their needs for better and contextualized engagements. From a rights-based perspective of the support offered to Busiki LRP’s strategic implementing partners - NSHAWA, NACWOLA, NDNGOF and IDNGOF; this report takes as its entry and reference points, gaps, opportunities and capacities identified and the resultant outcomes during the placement period - 2013/2014 and in effect building up to the strategic objectives below. In Iganga and Namutumba Districts, the LRP works with and supports Iganga NGO Forum & Namutumba NGO Forum respectively on Participatory Democracy and Governance programme whilst in Namutumba, it supports and works with NACWOLA & NSHAWA on Women Rights & Gender Equality and Sustainable Livelihood programmes. Successes by partners broadly reflect on the success of the LRP, the entire AAU Country Program and improved and dignified lives by communities. My work and support to the partners under the theme; Quality Assurance in Programming has informed individual and group practical and theoretical growth and development. Broadly, focus was hinged on; citing and developing Stories of Change, identifying and improving Organizational capacity (OCA), systems development, designing and conducting case studies, foundational documents, capturing “talking pictures”, formulating Monthly and Quarterly Reports, carrying out Campaigns, advocating and lobbying, resource mobilization and Donor Mapping (Intelligence), effective program planning & implementation & intervention Monitoring among others. With this rich and holistic approach for support, it is anticipated that there will be continuity through practice for improved and qualitative outcomes in 2015 programming, diversity in sourcing for funds for longer term sustainability, efficacy in documenting interventions and successes therein bridging the needs-gap between communities and interventions for ownership and sustainability and at the same time achieving AAU’s CSPIV and AA change promises.

Strategic objective 7: To improve financial management across AAIU units and

partners in line with internal and external accountability and reporting expectations.

Strategic Objective 9: To strengthen the delivery structures, policies, systems and

procedures to enhance organizational effectiveness in pursuit of the strategy priorities.

Strategic Objective 11: To strengthen ICT systems and processes that will support

effective and efficient implementation of the strategy.

Strategic Objective 12: To develop and implement together with partners a

participatory results-based monitoring and evaluation framework that provides a basis

for shared learning, accountability and decision making across all levels.


Section

IV

3.0: Namutumba and Iganga Districts

Namutumba District was incepted in July 2006 and is situated in Uganda’s Eastern Region bordering Iganga District to the South, Bugiri District to the South East, Kaliro District and Pallisa to the North and Butaleja to the East. The District is constituted of seven Sub Counties with an estimated populace upwards of 220,000 since the national census of 2002. The sub-counties are; Namutumba, Namutumba Town Council, Magada, Bulange, Nsinze, Ivukula and Kibaale. However, it currently implements the CSPIV in 3 Sub Counties – Kibaale, Nsinze and Ivukula only. Between the three Sub Counties, there are 37 Parishes and 349 villages with Nsinze Sub County having an estimated population of 30,000, while Ivukula populace stands at an approximate 35,239 and Kibaale’s is at 31,715 on approximation. The District headquarters is located 3 KMs from Namutumba Town. The District is more of a rural setting and as such communities practice more of farming as compared to business and other forms of livelihood. Iganga District was initially the “mother” District to Namutumba until 2006. Through Iganga NGO Forum, ActionAid has presence in 4 Sub Counties. These are Namalemba, Nakalama, Namungalwa and Nawandala Sub Counties. Across these Sub Counties, there are 16 Parishes and 82 Villages. According to Iganga District Local Government Planning unit, out of the population of 547,155 people, 92% derive their livelihood from Agriculture. Albeit largely on small scale and basically subsistence, animal husbandry sector in the district is characterised by low production of animals, ownership of small pieces of land resulting in high competition for land between animals and crops.

Busiki LRP’s Journey


Section

V

4.0: Tasks Accomplished / Achievements / Stories of Success / Groups /

Data & Ratios

4.1: Tasks Accomplished

Guided by my TORs1, I structured my engagements with the Youth to be holistic and with this approach, the Youth have grown and developed to individuals with best practises in life. In effect, this has complemented existing strengths and at the same time identifying and nurturing others. As denoted by the schematic design below, not all of them responded at the same level. Some were strong on select themes while others were not. This reiterates the component of complementing.

4.2: Achievements

• Improved understanding and clarity by the Youth on; ActionAid, What it does, how it works and the logic and ideology of ACTIVISTA. These were missing links in sustainably working with the Youth.

1 Refer to TOR table on Page 6 for details.

Capacity

Building

Social

Actions IGAs

Advocacy

&

Campaigns

Youth

Assemblies

M & E

FGDs

VSLAs

Local

Government

Engagements

and Petitions

Animal &

Crop

Husbandry

TfDs

Working with the Youth


• Successful mobilization of Youth Farmers and others to take lead in the petition against the then proposed tax on Agricultural inputs.

• Successful establishment of 16 vibrant Youth Assemblies across 3 Sub Counties as spaces for Youth to discuss issues affecting them. These spaces have been instrumental in identifying petition issues to the Local Government.

• Successful establishment and operationalization of 11 (eleven) VSLAs across the 3 sub counties

• Successful mobilisation of the Youth to identify and present their issues into two (2) inform of petitions to the Local Government through the District Speaker. The petitions were on; (1) Allocation of land for demonstration farming (2) Construction of a Resource and Vocational centre

• Successful mobilisation of the Youth to clean all the Health Centres IIIs and IVs in Ivukula, Kibaale and Nsinze Sub Counties through the concept of Social Action. The centres were in a deplorable state.

• Following intense engagement with the Youth to enhance their understanding, the Youth are well aware of the requirements of the YLP as pertains; YLP schedules and amount due to each Sub County among others. These are essential and basic requirements by the government for them (Youth) to benefit from the program.

• Supported the Youth to register groups and formulate work plans in readiness for the YLP resources. Currently, they are filling in the required forms and are in the process of opening group bank accounts.

• Supported the Youth to establish groups that focus on Income generating activities, capacity building, access to information and local leadership issues.

• Mobilised and supported Youth to an Excursion to Pallisa and Kapchorwa Districts. This was a session for them to learn from other Youth so as to apply similar practises in Busiki.

• Empowered and supported the Youth to have online presence i.e. Facebook, Twitter and Email. Currently, there is a high presence of Youth of Busiki online. These platforms also act as fora for mobilization for Youth activities.

• Mobilised and Supported the Youth to establish rapport with the newly appointed RDC - Namutumba in August 2014.

4.3: Stories of Success

• 80,000 seeds of coffee in nursery beds by Youth of Kisowozi Parish, Ivukula Sub County. • UGX. 84,000 were raised through the sale of eggs and UGX. 175,000 through the sale of 7 birds

by Nawaikona Anti-Poverty Development Poultry venture in Kivule Village, Nsinze Sub County. Part of these funds was used to buy 3 goats and to improve the poultry infrastructure, purchase medicine and feeds.

• VSLA initiative by Youth in Kibaale with a total of UGX. 8,221,233. I am currently supporting the Group to set up legally to enable it offer its loans to Youth who are not in the group and to Civil Servants of Namutumba District Local Government.

• Clear understanding by the Youth on Tax matters, Poverty, Participation following intense engagements leading to their exposure. This has led to select Youth participating in high forum meetings in Kampala, Anti-Corruption Caravan, Youth debates and other engagement foras.

• Supported the Youth of Namutumba Town Council to document and bring to ‘light’ stories of the negative impact of Jiggers to individuals, communities and the District2. This has led to AAU’s apportioning of resources to curb this development-reversing ill in 2015.

2 Refer to the blog article “We Forgot the Forgotten” under point 8.2.2


• Currently, Namutumba District Local Government is in the processes of constructing a Vocational Centre. This centre will be a space for Youth horn their skills for better livelihoods.

• The Local Government has allocated a 2 acre piece of land for the Youth to carry out agricultural learning before applying the same learnings back in their villages and parishes. This will also be a platform for them to showcase their work - agriculturally.

• The Youth are much more aware of their rights and duties & responsibilities of the government in Namutumba. They are now able to voice their issues to the Local Government through processions, petitions, demonstrations and round table deliberations.

• Following improved relationship between the Local Government (specifically RDC and District Speaker) and Youth, they are now more endeared and readily participating in local government initiatives e.g. Census and ID registration.

4.4: Youth Groups Ivukula Sub County Members

Name of Group Practise Parish M F Ivukula Youth Development Federation

Poultry & Piggery Kisowozi 30 21

Buwaluria Youth Development Association

Poultry Buwalira 20 15

Journey of Miles Coffee Nursery, Poultry and Piggery

Kisowozi 25 10

Lwatama Youth Farmers Association

Ground Nut Garden, Poultry Lwatama 20 10

Kiranga Mixed Farmers Association

Fruit Farming Ivukula 19 11

Nabitula Youth Farmers Association

Ground Nut Garden, Piggery Nabitula 16 14

Iwungiro Farmers Association Ground Nut Garden, Piggery, Poultry

Iwungiro 20 10

Nsinze Sub County Members

Name of Group Practise Parish M F Nawaikona Anti-Poverty Development

Poultry, Goat Rearing, Maize Growing

Nawaikona 20 15

Bukonte Development Association

Piggery and Maize Growing Bukonte 20 10

Nsinze Development Link Poultry, Maize Growing and Brick Laying

Nsinze 22 13

Buwongo Development Association

Poultry, Ground Nut and Maize Growing

Buwongo 19 11

Bubago Development Association

Maize, Ground Nuts Growing, Brick Laying and VSLAs

Bubago 20 15


Kibaale Sub County Members

Name of Group Practise Parish M F Nawaikoke Youth Champions Association

Poultry Farming & Ground Nut Farming

Nabisoigi 15 5

Kakunyu Youth Development Association

Ground Nut & Maize Farming and VSLAs

Kakunyu

Kibaale Youth Empowerment Association

Onion Growing & VSLAs Nabisoigi 12 18

Kisega Tweyambe Youth Farmers Association

Welding and Ground Nut Farming

Kisega 9 6

Nyakyere ‘I’ Youth Development Association

Ground Nut Growing & Poultry Farming

Kisega 9 6

Nyakyere ‘II’ Youth Development Association


Nabisoigi 15 5

Kibaale Namakoko Development Association


Kibaale 18 8

Mbogo Youth Development Association

Goat Rearing Nabweyo 12 3

Tweyambe Youth Development Association

Ground Nut Farming and Cattle Rearing

Nabweyo 9 6

Busoga Youth Transformation Ground Nut Growing & Poultry Farming

Nabweyo 16 9

Kibaale United Barbers Association

Hair Cut Nabisoigi 16 1

5.0: Data and Ratios 5.1: Graphic Representation of Youth Groups & Quote

AAU-Busiki LRP support has led to a more cohesive, networked and vibrant Youth fraternity. In the case of the schematic below, vibrancy refers to those Youth who i have supported and are actively engaged in economic ventures, group tasks on ground and engaged with AAU-Busiki LRP on regular basis for information and in programming.

“Ever since i begun working with Ger, I have grown in thought and behavior. Most importantly, my mind-set has really changed. I have also acquired basic skills through AAU-Busiki LRP trainings which have enabled me to start up a poultry project. Right now, I am very happy as I have 20 healthy birds.” Says Ishaka Kiwanuka – ACTIVISTA

24%

43%

33%

Youth Groups per Sub County

Nsinze

Kibaale

Ivukula


5.2: Graphic Representation of Youth Ventures

A key resultant aspect of engagements has seen the Youth not only initiate but also manage their own ventures and generate income. The graph below showcases the number and kind of ventures that the Youth across the 3 Sub Counties practice. These ventures were settled upon by the Youth after having two-week long in-depth discussions with them on the pros and cons of each proposed venture with them.

5.3: Graphic Representation of VSLAs

The Youth face a particular challenge, one that cuts across the entire county; this is lack of capital - human, financial or intellectual. With this huddle, any other support to the Youth can seldom be sustainable over a long period of time. In 2014, my focus frontloaded economic empowerment as a basis/foundation for sustained engagement. Key to this was trainings on VSLAs and technical support to initiate and operationalize them. The schematic below shows the number of VSLAs that exist per Sub County and the associated joint savings.

0

2

4

6

8

10

Nsinze Kibaale Ivukula

Piggery Poutry Rearing Ground Nuts Coffee Nursery Fruit Farming

Goat Rearing Onion Farming Welding Cattle Rearing Hair Cut

Nsinze Kibaale Ivukula

Total Savings 1,500,000 8,221,233 6,100,710

No. of VSLAs 1 2 8

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

Sa

vin

gs

in U

GX

VSLAs as per Sub County


Section

VI

6.0: Tasks Accomplished / Achievements / Success Stories / Quotes 6.1: Tasks Accomplished

My work with the Partners was composed of both practical and theoretical engagements reaching out to the Board Members, Secretariat, Field Structures and Member Organizations. As per the design of the schematic below, all the focus areas were correlated towards the greater goal of achieving quality in programming, efficacy in organizational operation and sustainably in growth and development.

Support to LRP and Partners

Writing Stories of Change &

Blogs

Advocacy &

Campaigns

Designing and Conducting Case Studies

Developing M&E Tools

Result Based Reporting

Donor Mapping

Information Technology

Formulating Concepts & Proposals

OCAs

Capturing talking

Pictures


6.2: Achievements

• Improved standard and quality of documentation by partners - monthly and quarterly.

• Improved quality of concepts for resource mobilization.

• An improving quality in quality of stories of change on interventions in the community.

• Increased quantity of concepts for resource mobilization.

• New capacity to carry out Donor Mapping / Intelligence on donors based on program areas i.e. Partner Organizations have awareness on Organizations unto which to direct their concepts before and after formulation.

• A new and embraced data bank practise for storing pictures and documents for ease in referencing on online and offline basis.

• Improved Board of Governance management and understanding of secretariat operations, Organization programs and opportunities (fundraising and networking).

• Clarity, understanding, improved interpretation and application by partners of the AA Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. This feature enables them guide their interventions towards the realization of CSPIV priorities.

• Successful formulation and submission of 2015 proposals by partners to ActionAid Uganda for review.

6.3: Stories of Success

• Successful formulation and funding by AAU-Busiki LRP of strategic partners’ 2013 and 2014 funding proposals.

• Data collection and M & E tools being used to collect data and track progress by NACWOLA. This has led to improved data quality.

• Weekly activity reporting has improved and defined the quality of reports to the LRP as there is ease in referencing past activities.

• Stories of change realised through direct partner activities have been captured in the 2014 Busiki LRP Progress Report. This decision was informed by the quality and programming relevance.

• Embedded Youth relevant programming by all 4 partners in the 2015 funding proposal. Increasingly, this aspect will diversify Youth engagement beyond LRP only.


6.4: Youth and Partners’ Quotes

“To me, Ger is clearly the most organized person I have met since I begin my professional career. He is calculative, well informed and is a near perfectionist on quality. My engagements with him confirm that his coming to Busiki LRP as an Inspirator has really benefitted me since my quality of work has greatly improved as his support has enabled me grow to see things from very informed & diverse perspectives.” Says Andrew Iga – Project Officer; NGO Forum

“Ger Odock has helped us in many aspects, most important is fundraising. To share a success story, even the funding proposal that we are implementing this year (2014) was through his efforts because he taught us how to write that proposal, we shared with him our draft and he guided and helped us to finalize it for submission. Upon sharing it with ActionAid, we got a funding of UGX. 139

Million Up from 90 Million.” Says Stephen Mubetera –

Program Coordinator; Namutumba NGO Forum

“I have a financial background from 4years of training but Ger has really supported me on Program Work. It’s now 1 Year of continued support and I can write a

concept and also, effectively implement one” Says

Jonah Muwada – FAD; NACWOLA

“When he reached Busiki, I was his first friend and he was the first person to open for me an email. I had stayed in Busiki for 6 years without an email. He has also taught me how to

work on a computer” attests Francis Isiko – Sponsorship and Resource Person.

Right now I am 23 years. I have achieved much more within the 18 months than my entire life ever since I met and begun working with Ger. It is my humble request that he stays and continues to work with us for one more year. We are already proud but I am sure my life and that of my fellow youth will be one that the entire District will be proud of. Says Abdul Gwaivu – ACTIVISTA, Kivule Village, Nsinze Sub County

“I am extremely impressed by Ger. He is selfless and the most hardworking person I have ever seen and worked with. He has on many occasions welcomed me to his house for us to work. He works on Saturdays and Sundays as well. May God bless the works of your hands in Namutumba and grace your path all through. Thank you ActionAid for bringing him to us” Tezeta Peter – ACTIVISTA – Kakunyu Village,

Kibaale Sub County


Section

VII

7.0: Conclusions and Recommendations 7.1: Introduction

In this chapter, I present conclusions and my recommendations for improvement, exploration, sustainability and practice. These cover different aspects aimed at augmenting the quality and outcomes of programming ranging from; skills & capacities, organizational systems and broadly bringing to focus key indicators at the LRP. 7.2: Conclusions

7.2.1: Youth

• AAU-Busiki LRP has performed very well in Youth programming in the past two years. This is evidenced through assigned budget line expenditures, scalable activities, Youth role in their own programming, leadership and IGAs.

• There is a more networked, cohesive and vibrant Youth fraternity in the three areas (Sub Counties) unto which AAU-Busiki LRP has presence.

• The current awareness level of Youth in the community on HIV/AIDS, leadership, farming, access to information, government programs, participation, monitoring, advocacy and campaigns, use of theatre in community sensitization has and continues to greatly improve since 2013.

• The Youth are greatly empowered to establish productive resource channels within the community from which they derive their livelihood and these include animal and crop husbandry and VSLAs. In effect, opportunities to Youth have increased due to frequent engagements.

• Despite Education levels being low, use of Theatre, Youth Assemblies and FGDs as information access and dissemination alternatives have been most instrumental tools of engagement and sensitizations beyond looking beyond illiteracy levels and reaching out to all and sundry.

• AAU-Busiki LRP should sustain and seek to increase the level of engagements to keep the existing vibrancy. Should these engagements stop, some of the achievements of the past 18 months may be lost as they are still in their infancy stages.

Discoveries and Pitches


7.2.2: Partner Organizations

• Partner Organizations have limitations and gaps ranging from Organizational Systems, weak foundational systems, staff capacity and leanness.

• Sustained programmatic and financial support by the LRP will guarantee continued growth in capacity by the Organizations through practise for efficacy in programming, finance management and reporting among others.

• To improve the relevance and quality of program outcomes in AAU-Busiki LRP partnerships, there is need to consider increasing/assigning human and financial resources to support partners on skills and capacities.

• Support to partners should be based on a more structured basis. This will guide the sequencing and scale up of support, tracking the impact of the support and also enabling the partners’ prioritise on the support program amidst their program activities. This will reduce adhoc / pedestrian engagements.

• More resources should be assigned to partners rather than to the LRP. This approach will enable the LRP staff focus more on quality assurance through technical and practical support at office and field levels.

7.3: Recommendations

7.3.1: AAU-Busiki LRP

• AAU should strongly consider developing a contextualised Youth Advocacy and Campaign strategy. This will establish a basis for raising Youth issues from as low as Parish and Village levels and also a strategic and informed way of coalescing and addressing them with the relevant stakeholders with the Youth themselves are drivers of change.

• The LRP should strongly consider working much more closely with its direct structures such as Community Intermediaries (CIs) and Reflection Action Facilitators on the ground. This will mitigate possible acrimony from the structures therein, possible negatively affecting programming in Busiki. This can be through having monthly/quarterly round table meetings with these structures.

• The LRP/AAU should consider introducing other direct/indirect benefits to the Sponsorships and Resource Person. This individual is a central pillar to LRP work beyond sponsorship and as such, other benefits will definitely act as a motivating factor(s) for improved outcomes.

• Despite this being a longer term policy and resource base issue; AAU should strongly consider formulating a program on Water Sanitation and Hygiene - WASH. This will be a strategic foundation for addressing the development-reversing ill commonly known as jiggers (scientifically known as Tungiasis).

• AAU’s Participatory Refection Processes are aimed at frontloading best practice and shared learning; they have been carried out in formal settings. AAU should strongly consider making this process more of field based sessions than formal sessions to see the actual work being done on ground by communities as a result of AAU’s practical and theoretical support.

7.3.2: Youth

• AAU-Busiki LRP should strongly consider taking up focused support and promotion of the existing Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). This will greatly help improve the socio-economic status; wellbeing and vibrancy of the VSLAs as they are already creating alternative capital to enable them attain enough resources to diversify their investments.

• Youth farmers are a unique category and should continually be supported and encouraged to organize themselves into small marketing groups; this will help them collectively bargain for better prices for their produce and products. Currently, I am supporting them to join the Namutumba District Grain Growers Association (NDGGA).


• In order to combat the problem of unemployment, there is need for the AAU-Busiki LRP to support the strides made by the Youth in campaigns and advocacy and work with them to advocate for increased budget allocation for youth programs on a more consistent and informed approach. This should be done hand in hand with proper monitoring.

• Having been numerously approached by Youth from other Sub Counties for support, AAU-Busiki LRP should consider supporting Youth from other sub counties since they face similar challenges. This can be through formalizing networking platforms.

• Having focused on IGAs, access to information, monitoring and evaluation, advocacy ad campaigns, documentation, agri-business and arts in the years 2013 - 2014, AAU-Busiki LRP should consider broadly focusing Youth engagements in 2015 on Electioneering and Leadership. This will improve Youth participation on electoral and leadership spaces in 2016.

• Despite strides have been made on M&E, AAU-Busiki LRP should consider investing much more on M&E. This will enhance Youth capacities to understand how to sustain their projects and programs. It will also enable the organization identify best practices on a regular basis and device strategies to stay on course in achieving KCP 6.

• AAU-Busiki LRP to strongly consider setting up a one-stop resource centre to build on the small strides made in enabling spaces for Youth to access information and to augment a culture of open readership.

• AAU-Busiki LRP to strongly consider linking the District Leaders with the Youth at the project sites. This will be a scale-up to the Joint Youth-District Leadership Assembly and will also enable the District Leadership appreciate the Youth efforts much more.

7.3.3: Partner Organizations

• AAU-Busiki LRP should consider engaging the Board Members much more intensely on issues of fundraising and networking. This will subsequently increase / widen the resource pool of these organizations.

• Support the incorporation and institutionalization of Policy Advocacy as a central tool in programming and engagement with stakeholders by Partners.

• AAU-Busiki LRP to consider convening and coordinating spaces where capacities of sector specific partners/stakeholders can be supported to amplify the voice of the communities in monitoring service delivery at District levels.

• Support partners’ & stakeholders’ best practices of service delivery to centre and amplify community roles and cause deliberations and accelerated actions by duty bearers and stakeholders alike.

• Formulation of context based and user focused monitoring tools for use by partner organization structures such as Public Expenditure Trackers (PETS), Para-legals, Community Support Agents, Model Men etc to complement stakeholder (more so communities) interests and document their issues and concerns in tracking resource use and service delivery. These tools should directly build into the AA M&E framework.

• Partner Organizations’ Board of Governance / Coordinators need to consider applying/enforcing Performance Contracting or appraisals as is the case with AAU. This will augment efficacy in what individuals are mandated to do, quality in program implementation at field level and submission of quality work to the LRP.


Section

VIII

8.0: YouTube and Blog Spots I have made an effort to ensure that I document engagements with the Youth and its partners. This approach acts as an advocacy, best practice and sharing platform. Below are some of the motion picture documentations and write-ups.

8.1.1: You Tube

The Story of My Life Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ootuZx8Dt_U&list=UUa5E_w9eaqdx6-

uPT9X5Gzg Issues they face as Youth in Namutumba District

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ommQw-15M3A

Alex and Hussein (budding artists) singing a song in praise of ActionAid support to the Youth

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dy4_NLOVBc

My work an Inspirator in Eastern Uganda

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uhcx1wEfSQ&spfreload=10

Abdul, an Activista talking about the concept of Tax Campaign in the context of Namutumba District Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4ot2jM8aVM

The Impact of Corruption in Uganda: Youth Perspective Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CnMia6q3b0

The Concept of Village Savings and Loans Association and its benefits: Youth Perspective Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCSTDHEPScM

Coffee Nursery beds initiative by Youth of Namutumba Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIotDj4E24A

8.1.2: Blog Posts

Uganda’s unpaid Woman Blog Link: http://biesshop.blogspot.com/2014/10/ugandas-unpaid-woman.html

We Forgot the Forgotten

Online Presence


Blog Link: http://biesshop.blogspot.com/2014/09/i-we-forgot-forgotten.html A time comes when silence is betrayal

Blog Link: http://biesshop.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-time-comes-when-silence-is-betrayal.html Something is happening in Busiki

Blog Link: http://biesshop.blogspot.com/2014/05/something-is-happening-busiki-something.html Youth Get Empowered

Blog Link: http://biesshop.blogspot.com/2014/03/youth-get-empowered-economically.html Achieving Behavioural Change

Blog Link: http://biesshop.blogspot.com/2014/03/achieving-behavioral-change.html My Nine Month Semester

Blog Link: http://biesshop.blogspot.com/2014/03/my-1st-nine-month-semester.html


Section

IX

Interactive Platforms

Ger Odock Programming, Documentation & Capacity Building Specialist Local Rights Programme - Busiki Namutumba District, Eastern UG (20th May 2013 - 2nd Dec. 2014) Email 1: [email protected] Email 2: [email protected] Cell Phone: +254 (0) 726 383 893

My Online Presence;

Skype ID: GerOdock

Blog Spot: biesshop.blogspot.com

Twitter Handle: The_Biesshop

Google+: Biesshop Ger

Instagram: biesshop

Facebook: facebook.com/BIESSHOP

Skills & Capacity Programming4Development - The Case of Uganda

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