Nyakiyumbu Anti poaching Group reaps big from the seed Capital

RWECO  has supported 12 community based organization with micro grants of Ugx. 1,000,000/ to promote food security and economic empowerment for the women and vulnerable groups.  The main purpose of the seed capital was  to mobilize and build the capacities of ordinary men and women of Uganda to engage in livelihood improvement processes and activities with a view to reducing poverty at household, community and national level.  Key enterprises that the CBO’s are involved in among others include poultry farming, coffee farming, goat keeping and village savings and lending.

Nyakiyumbu anti-poaching group selected goat keeping as the major enterprise to promote increased household incomes and a total of 10 goats were distributed to 10 beneficiaries of which out of 10 goats, 6 kids have been delivered and distributed to six other beneficiaries.

The group has been keen on spending money on feeding the goats and as a result the members have planted elephant grass as terraces to prevent soil erosion on their Gardens as well as provide pasture for their goat keeping project. Also to prevent Malnutrition and ill health of their children the group members have been   embraced the idea of growing Kitchen gardens so to provide vegetables to supplement the meals.

I was also amazed that the CBO has integrated savings and credit scheme whereas the members convene the neighbour hood assembly they hit two birds with two stones by saving money that will help to support their families by proving education and health care. The group currently has

Nyakiyumbo group is composed of 30 members who seat every last of Wednesday of the month to discuss issues affecting service delivery in Nyakiyumbu Sub County. Among the key things that they are proud of as a neighborhood assembly they advocated for a market in Mushenene  market where they can be able  to sell their produce instead of travelling long distance to Kinyamaseke which about 18 kilometers to reach. An access road from  Kalongire to Kibara has been opened as a result of the continued advocacy for access road.  The CBO is leading a campaign against illegal poaching in Queen Elizabeth National park.

Indeed as  Farijallah the leader of the CBO communicated “Development is as a result of what someone keeps thinking about” therefore  it important for someone to be a custodian of his/her own development. His key recommendation for a successful enterprise project was for groups to copy good practice and learn from the bad ones as well as involving family members in project as well strive to be exemplary in whatever you do. This if taken up by all CSO’s poverty will be a history in Rwenzori Region.

RWECO is implementing a Citizens Manifesto in Action project supported by Oxfam Novib and Hivos. RWECO is also a member of CEWIT that Coordinates the project in Uganda covering 25 districts in 5 regions of Rwenzori, Teso, West Nile, Central and Acholi regions. Other partners in the project are: CEFORD, ACORD, PAC-U, DENIVA all targeting 12 CBOs per region. About 60 CBOs are benefiting from the project using the same model of Neighborhood Assembly as the entry point.

Bravo NAPA

By Sheila K

RWECO