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| RWECO Staff and BoD at the Kasunga Reflection meeting from 22-25 Nov. 2012 |
RWECO
staff and BoD members arrived at Kasunga Training Center in Kyenjojo last night
22nd Nov.2012 ahead of the two days Reflection meeting that kicked
off today 23rd Nov 2012. The meeting that has so far attracted
approximately twenty three participants (08 females&15 males) participated is
expected to run until Sunday 25th Nov. 2012.
The
reflection meeting whose objectives include; to build a strong crusade on
enhancing civic competence on voice and accountability in the Rwenzori region,
to coordinate capacity building of the RWECO members and constituents in
citizen empowerment on constitutionalism, human rights and good governance, to
undertake and or coordinate advocacy activities on major policy issues at
regional nationalism and international level and to mobilize and manage
resources for the consortium started at 9:00am with opening remarks from Jimmy
Baluku Odyek RWECO Chairperson.
Opening
the meeting Jimmy welcomed participants to the reflection meeting and also took
them through two days program and the climate setting session. Below are some
of the participants’ expectations about the meeting as shared;
1. To
learn of RWECO’s future interventions
2. To
come up with a comprehensive and final RWECO report and strategic plan
3. To
understand the commitment of RWECO members towards fundraising for the
consortium.
4. To
understand RWECO’s sustainability plan.
5. To
learn of the members’ ICT challenges and suggestions to RIC-NET to address
them.
6. To
know the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of RWECO.
7. To Learn
of RWECO’s key achievements registered so far.
8. To
know all the RWECO BoD members and understand their take on RWECO’s
programming, interventions and Progress.
9. To
share experiences from the different activities’ implementation going on in the
different organizations.
Commenting
on this, the Jimmy thanked all members for having a vision for RWECO,
indicating that the meeting will make sure that all the raised expectations are
surely met. He then invited the chairperson of the day Ms. Kegingo Sheila to
facilitate the report writing session. This session is expected to take the
whole of day one, 23rd.Nov.2012.
In
this session, focal persons are reporting on the different activities they have
been implementing with key focus on the numbers reached, content discussed,
passed on or received, area/place of operation, achievements registered,
challenges faced, case studies noted and key lessons learned. (A comprehensive report
about this will be availed by end of today). However, several issues emerging
from the different presentations include;
Key Emerging Issues
Ø Monitors
need to be encouraged and or guided to learn to take action at their level
without necessarily reporting monitoring issues to the RWECO members they are
attached to. Doing this it is said will facilitate immediate correction of
service delivery problems identified in the community.
Ø Enhanced
monitors capacity in monitoring public expenditure, reporting, documentation
articulation of issues and advocating for positive change has been registered.
This is evident in the increased number of news stories shared by the monitors
for the RWECO monthly newsletters.
Ø Some
case studies on the Orgaanizations’ success stories have also been shared for instance RideAFrica shared a
case from Nyantabooma HCII, Kichwamba sub county Kabarole District; where CPF
and monitors monitored the HC and found poor sanitation; unhygeinic latrine,
dirty and bushy compound, poor disposal of garbage, alleged high prevalence of
malaria, poor time management by HC staff-late coming. Following this, the
monitors engaged with the Sub County leadership and HC management on these
issues demanding that these issues be addressed immediately. Later the monitors
learnt through their other monitoring visits that the issues had been
adequately addressed.
While
KALI shared about their success in getting children in Kamwenge primary schools
to report to school the first week of the term since many do not turn until the
second and third week. Accordingly they hosted the secretary for social
services on VOK who mobilized parents to send their children to school right
from the school open day and also educated the parents on the value of
education. Consequently the number of pupils that reported to school in third
term is reported to have soared high as opposed to the previous terms.
Ø Lack
of Cameras by the monitors has limited evidenced based monitoring because they
are not able to capture an event as it happens.
Ø What
is the impact of RWECO’s intervention; there is need to establish what the
situation was before and what it is since RWECO’s intervention; e.g the number
of pupil enrollment, retention and completion of primary level before and now,
the involvement of PWDs in social accountability work and accessing good public
services.
Ø Poor
phone radio network limits the number of phones-ins and as thus participation
of the community in radio programs.
Ø There
is increased demand for radio programs by the community although it is
challenged by the inadequate funds.
Ø Radio
programs have proven to be the most effective means of reaching out to masses
in a faster and reliable manner.
Ø I.EC.
materials are effective because their message are not time bound, the message
on is continuous and they have enhanced RWECO’s visibility, branding and
created more understanding on the consortium’s programs, and activities.
These
among others are some of the key highlights in the meeting sofar, other things
to be looked at include reviewing the RWECO M&E framework, strategic
planning and developing the consortium’s fundraising strategy. To be continued…
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