Let the beauty of what you love be what you do

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do:-Rumi

After finishing my university in science in Information Technology at Uganda Martyrs University in May 2015 I took my Internship at RWECO in order to match knowledge and practise of application o IT.   The five month internship period was very interesting with satisfying experience and a best place of its kind in practicing my IT knowledge and getting hands on skills. 

 

Miss Babra Masika Arinaitwe during one o her IT training sessions

At RWECO  I was place at the Kasese district E-society resource centre. Waking up every morning to the thought of sharing knowledge and learning something new is exquisite especially when it involves hands on. During my time at RWECO I learnt more about networking, computer maintenance, soft and hard ware. Like my supervisor normally say, being an Information Technology (IT) specialist is like being a medical doctor, you can’t say you know it all and very perfect because each day is a new learning experience since we face different computer related challenges.

RWECO (Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence) is a consortium of four organisations namely: KALI, Good Hope for Rural Development- Kiburara and RICNET, RIDE-AFRICA. RWECO and all the four member organisations were accredited by the electoral commission to observe the presidential and parliamentary elections on 18^th February, 2016 and the local government elections that followed. RWECO applied ICT tools to report on the election observations that were done by telephone SMS and the online platform. Where both short term and long term observers reported post-election violence through SMS to 0788929022 and plotted on http://hrcp.or.ug/main. The on line platform also allows reports of any human rights abuse and conflicts in Rwenzori regions.

THE ACTIVITIES PARTICIPATED IN.

On 11^th march 2016 I participated in a one day training workshop on ICT-enabled access to information and government accountability by Kasese District Local Government (KDLG) in partnership with Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and South Africa (CIPESA) at Verina Gardens hotel Kasese municipality  

During the training we had different facilitators presenting on issues like; how KDLG promotes access to information, access to information law in Uganda, how ICT is used for citizen participation elsewhere in Uganda.

The power of one, if fearless and focused, is formidable but the power of many working together is better: - Gloria Macapagal

I participated in group work where different questions were discussed in a participatory manner and thereafter presentations were made to the rest of the participants.  Thus: presentations were very impeccable

On 18^th March 2016 I participated in a field visit to Kakindo women’s group in Maliba sub county Kasese district with one of the donors of RWECO from the East African children’s Fund. The field trip was led   the coordinator RWECO Mr Baluku Jimmy Odyek with some staff members from RWECO, RIDE Africa, Guide radio. While in maliba we visited Kakindo women’s group demonstration gardens and Nkaiga Primary school.

At Kakindo women’s group we were welcomed and briefed about their activities and objectives which include, but not limited to: creating public awareness on HIV/AIDS through drama and radio talk shows, practising kitchen gardening, involvement in savings and credit scheme and sensitisation against domestic violence.   They conducted a neighbouring  assembly presided over by a speaker where different stake holders in the community like the LC1, police, parents, and other members of the community participated by addressing issues about causes of violence against children at household and community level, how to prevent it and where to report forms of violence against children.

One of the members of Kakindo women group explains how they prepare and plant crops in the kitchen garden using ridges.

They also demonstrated how to make local reusable sanitary pads. The main leading cause of school drop outs among the girl child in Maliba Sub County is due to lack of sanitary pads to use during their menstrual periods since most of the people in the sub county are low income earners or peasants and can’t afford a packet of sanitary pad of shillings 3000 per month especially in circumstances where you find parents having like five girls in need of sanitary pads. Kakindo women’s group was taught how to make local reusable sanitary pads by RIDE Africa, and of which sanitary pads are given to the girl child in schools and in the community.  They train some girls in making local reusable sanitary pads for themselves and that has increased the accessibility of sanitary pads among the girl children in the entire community in the area.

The Kakindo women’s group members later took us to some of their demonstration gardens where they prepare nursery beds and kitchen gardening. They were given seeds by RIDE Africa, and each member took a different species of seeds to plant in a nursery bed, and thereafter the seedlings are supplied to other members so that they all plant in their respective kitchen gardens.

We later visited Nkaiga Primary School in the same sub county. The staff members welcomed us and the pupils sung, recited a poem and acted a play about violence against children.

In the afternoon, RWECO staff led by their Coordinator, together with the Executive Director of East African Children’s Fund Mr Fassil Mariam visited Agape of Hope in Nyamwamba division, Kasese Municipality. Agape of Hope main goal is to empower the youth and the young mothers with knowledge and skills in hair dressing, tailoring and hand craft.  Agape of Hope works with schools and community to address issues of youth reproductive health and menstrual hygiene management.

Gratitude to my supervisor Mr Mumbere Samuel Mkamba and the entire staff of RWECO in particular the Coordinator Mr Jimmy Odyek , the E-Society staff, I thank you for the help you have rendered to me during my stay at RWECO.

BABRA MASIKA ARINAITWE

Bsc IT (UMU)