Friday, August 30, 2013

KYATTO NA MOBILISES SHS 200000 FOR A WELL IN KAYUNGA DISTRICT

I hope you are all well.

 
Access to clean and safe is our right!!
 Kyatto Area Neighbourhood Assembly in Kayonza Sub County Kayunga district, yesterday (29th August 2013) handed to the district leadership the contribution towards construction of a hand dug well. Items included 1tonne of sand, concrete stones, bricks and,Uganda Shillings 200,000.(Some Pics herewith)

Kayunga district Vice Chairperson, Mr. Ouma Joseph who officiated the ceremony appreciated the project; vertical tracking (PETS) which he said had brought a new chapter and approach to service delivery by the technocrats in the district. On the N/As he applauded community involvement and participation in poverty eradication programmes. Promised to use Kyatto N/A as the focal structure during the new NAADS phase that targets clonal coffee growing and bee keeping to reduce poverty.

He said that though the contribution comes in after the 2013/2014 FY has rolled on, Kawolokota Primary School (the proposed site for the well in order to avail clean water to pupils) would receive more attention. He added that the district would make an extra effort or even effect re-allocation of the earlier planned water points.

Kyatto Neighborhood Assembly members, Kayunga district after presenting their petition to the LCV Chairperson (29th Aug. 2013)
The N/A committee members were scheduled (by the Chairman) to meet and present their contribution to the entire council on Tuesday 3rd September 2013. We really hope for the best!!
The District Chairperson - Eng. Dagada sent you all greetings and is grateful for the website, and radio talk shows that enabled him reach all corners of his district. That Kayunga district budget would not have afforded talk shows on a radio station such as Simba fm!

Ms. Rose Nanyondo (standing) during the Kyatto NA on 29th Aug. 2013
Long Live CEW-IT, Long Live FHRI!

Grateful,
Rose Nanyondo
FHRI

Monday, August 19, 2013

See it happen

It was yet another brighter moment at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel kampala where connect for change and wash partners through I-Network stormed the place for a website design and akvo tool training.
The training facilitated by IICD/I-Network ICT advisor and Luuk Diphoorn and Elma den Toom from connect for change attracted participants from RWECO represented by ICT Officer Yosia, Diocese of Jinja (health dep’t), Health Child, Health Needs Uganda (HNU), LACODEF, Mango tree, computers for schools Uganda (CFSU), ELECU, FAWEU, UCMB, UNHCO and I-Network the hosts.
The training lasted for two days from 15th-16th August 2013. This was basically for organizations implementing C4C projects to get more skills in the use of these online platforms.
RWECO implements a project with Connect for change through CFSU in primary and secondary schools.
Training Session
Among issues trained in was the use of websites, having a good website and what it takes to have a functioning website. It was such an interactive session that we got to learn more from each other.
The other important tool during the training was the akvo RSR (Really Simple reporting).  Akvo makes it easy to bring your projects online and share progress with everyone involved and interested. This includes those who are funding the work you do or who wants to see things from your perspective. This is a tool that or an online platform at www.akvor.org
Participants were taken through the platform and how it works. Accounts were created for every partner that participated in the training. It was also noted that any project officer can sign up and always update the page with activity updates especially on connect for change projects.
Creating an Akvo user account.
Click the Register link at the top of your project page or the Akvo home page
(www.akvo.org). Choose your organisation and continue to the setup page.
Enter a username. Your username is what you will enter to sign in to your account. Make it something easy to remember.
Enter your first and last name. Your Akvo RSR account is yours. Updates and comments will display your name, not just that of your organisation.
Enter a password. Eight or more characters, capital and small letters mixed with some numbers, is the most secure. Entering it twice verifies you typed what you thought you typed.
Enter your email address. So we can send you a confirmation email.
Click the Register button. Follow the instructions in the account request email you will receive. Your account request will be reviewed by either your organisation’s administrator or an Akvo staff administrator. Within a couple of days you will receive an email confirming you have been approved, and then you can sign in to Akvo RSR.
Participants wave their certificates high after the training.
RWECO and CFSU page on the akvo.org site is found at Akvo.org - Effective teaching-learning processes by ICT and so at that page you can be able to see a number of updates on the effective teaching learning processes by ICT project implemented here in the Rwenzori region. We updated the page with some stories during the training.
Another important aspect was all about capturing good photos and easy videos that can tell ones story or report easier while reporting online. Participants interviewed them themselves and all these captured videos will be uploaded by the Akvo team.

It was such an interactive training that members at the end of it all were told and encouraged to always update their project pages with activities or what they’ve implemented. However these activity updates are not meant to be long stories but few paragraphs with pictures and straight forward to the point. 
One of the stories i uploaded during the training can be accessed at http://www.akvo.org/rsr/project/353/update/3493/

Thursday, August 1, 2013

TO SERVE OR TO BE SERVED: KANARA RESIDENTS DEMAND FOR OPEN ACCOUNTABILITY

"I came to serve but not to be served" were the opening remarks by the Ntoroko District Chairperson Mr. Timothy Kyamanywa during the Citizens Manifesto Day in Kanara Town Council Landing site on Wed 31st July 2013.

Mr. Timothy Kyamanywa, Ntoroko District Chairperson, arriving at the Kanara TC landing site CM Day, 31st July, 2013
 The CM day was  organised by NTAAP on Wednesday 31st July, 2013 and attended by the District Chairperson, Mr, Timothy Kyamanya, the CAO Mr. Allan Ashaba, District Speaker, Ms. Betty Tembe, DEO, NAADS Coordinator, District Engineer, Town Clerk and Financial Officer. Equipped with knowledge on monitoring and engagement, NTAAP neighborhood Assembly had carried out monitoring of the basic education infrastructure in Kanara TC of which sanitation and latrine coverage and staff quarters were the agent needs at Ntoroko Primary School, Kanara Town Council.


Ntoroko LCV Chairperson Responding to issues raised by the NA and the Citizens during an open space community meeting at Kanara Landing Site, Ntoroko District 31st July, 2013
The district chairperson was questioned about the the district distribution of political posts and appointment of district staff to which he informed the citizens that, the adverts were put in papers and radio announcements but unfortunately Ntoroko district citizens had shunned taking their children to school and only knew how to graze cattle and fishing as the case for Kanara Town Council. He challenged the citizens to show him any body who  had a Masters  Degree in Accounting , Social Work and Development studies, that even government drivers must posses atleast Uganda Certificate of Education (O'level) even if one knew how to drive "Magulu Kumi" we can't employ him. About Scholarships, the Chair listed the Universities that had given Ntoroko District Scholarships as: Mountains of the Moon University (25%), Uganda Pentecostal  University (50%) while the government quarter system required that candidates must have sat their A'Level from Ntoroko district and the UNICEF scholarships were only for human Medicine

Mr. Allan Ashaba, CAO Ntoroko Responding to issues raised during the CM day 31st July, 2013

" As CAO, I must say your problems were about Beach Management Units" which I will share with the Fisheries department. However, I must give accountability about the issues raised in the NA report. The district had secured Ugx. 50 Millions from UNICEF: Ugx 30M  to be used in construction of a 5 stance latrine at Ntoroko P. School while Ugx 20M to be used at Kanara TC ECD for construction of classrooms that were blown off by the storm. The CAO also informed the citizens about the government guidelines on staff houses construction that were meant for only hard to reach and to live areas in rural sub counties, thus since Kanara was elevated to a Town Council, parents were meant to support the construction of staff houses. The District Education Officer, Mr. Mubaraka Masereka informed the citizens that, UPE guidelines provided for Town councils UPE schools to levy Ugx 10,400/ as development fees thus he asked the SMC/PTA to  use that provision to collect money which they could use to build some staff quarters.

Ms. Betty Tembe, District Speaker and Woman Councilor Kanara TC
While responding to the questions raised on her part, Ms. Betty Tembe, the district speaker and district woman councilor Kanara TC, asked the DEO to guide the parents whether the resolutions made to construct a temporary building contravened the UPE policy. She noted that about 50 iron sheets had been pledged and as a resident of Kanara TC she had pledged to remit Ugx 10,000, as contribution to monthly exams. When asked the citizens agreed that they had attended the meeting and resolved to contribute since Ntoroko P. S had performed well in the whole district.

Citizens who attended the CM day at Kanara Landing Site, 31st July, 2013

Mr. Tembe explaining to the RWECO team the boat being made for NTAAP CBO as seed capital (30th July, 2013
NTAAP CBO/NA chose the boat (SICAFA in Latin) project as their seed capital, fishing was the main activity at the Lake Albert.

NTAAP CBO/NA members signing the MoU with RWECO/GHFRD for the Boat Project on 31st July, 2013
Improving the livelihoods of the lake shore residents demands one to be patient and tolerant as the life still at the lake is all about the water. For any interventions water was regarded as 'sacred' since children are introduced to water life at their earliest stage to learn to survive as Mzee Tembe explained to the RWECO team.

Photo Story by

Jimmy B.O
RWECO


KABAROLE DISTRICT LEADERS VOW TO MONITOR UPE/PLE PERFORMANCE



“Plants are developed by cultivation and men by education” ( John Locke)
Participants at the RIDE AFRICA Press Conference at Jerusalum Guest House on 24th July, 2013

If you are a leader out there and you have not been monitoring the schools in your area of operation, it is absurd to blame the head teachers and teachers for poor performance in schools. Yeah I believe poor service delivery is as a result of leaders who have failed to their work. If you doubt my statement just imagine a parish that has one school having 4 villages and each village has 9 leaders at LC1 which makes a total of 36 individuals, LC2 has 9 leaders, the school has 11 members of the PTA and 12 members of the SMC  with the parish having two area counselors ( male and Female) thus  total of  70 individuals.   If every leader committed him or herself to visit the school at least once a term  because a term on average has 72 days without under estimating the work of the CSO including religious leaders, parish chief,  sub county authorities and the inspector of schools.  Am sure there would be no cases of abseentism of teachers, ghost teachers, and mismanagement of UPE grant, abseentism of pupils and misconduct of pupils which we are seeing today.  With this my simple reason is that every day a leader would be at school to supervise and the support the school authorities.
In a case study conducted by RIDE Africa on monitoring and supervision by leaders in 19 primary schools out of 34 primary schools in Burahya county where the RDC had visited only one school yet the Local Government Act 1998 and Education Act 2008 (section 71(b and D and section 5 (1,m and n) respectively mandates the RDC to monitor and supervise the schools. Out of 19 schools only one school was visited by the sub county chief ( Bukuku sub county chief you deserve a credit) yet sub county chiefs are the supervisors of the sub county and sign performance contracts head teachers and are the chief planners of the sub county. On a good not at least 12 schools out of 19 schools were visited by the chairperson LC3 by June 2013.  Was  there any justification for chairpersons  in 7 schools that were not visited as LC3 chairperson are majorly in power to monitor and supervise government programs per the local government act.

Important to note is our very own Members of Parliament  who also have a role to play in monitoring schools for improved PLE results as they are facilitated with mileage every month to consult and monitor government programs in their constituencies. In the case study, it was realized that the Kabarole district Woman MP  had visited 6 schools by June 2013 and Hon. Stephen Kagwera MP had visited 7 schools by June 2013. 

Schools Monitored by District leaders in Burahya County
 
In a press conference organized by  RIDE Africa a member of RWECO the leaders were argued to take their responsibilities of monitoring school programs serious as  it has a direct impact on performance. The leaders act as role models and inspire the pupils to aim higher as well as encourage teachers fulfilling their duties. This evidence at Harugongo primary school  which was visited by the MP Burashya four times  and scored 144 first grades in 2012 P.L.E results and Kazingo primary school that was visited once got 14 first grades out of 59 candidates  in 2012. A census by all members   present during the press brief confirmed that monitoring and support supervision has a direct link on other factors like provision lunch to pupils as well as effective service delivery. The DEO’s office and CCTs were upheld for the good work in supervising schools as all the schools sampled had been visited by the DEO, District Inspector of schools, County Inspector of schools and CCTs.

 Schools monitored by sub county leadership in Burahya County

RIDE Africa organized a press conference on Wednesday 24th July, 2013 at Jerusalum Guest House, Fort Portal Municipality that was attended by media house from the print and electronic media: print media- The New Vision, Monitor, Red pepper and Observor paper, Radio representative among others who include life FM, Guide FM, VOT FM, Better Fm and HITS FM. Other participants were: The Political Assistant to the MP Burahya County, Ditrict Inspector of schools, Town clerk, representatives of the Civil Society from RICNET, RWECO, KAANA Foundation and Mountains of the Moon University,  and Community monitors in Kabarole district. During the question session, the  leaders expressed concerns that it was  true monitoring and supervision of primary schools had not been given adequate attention due to limited facilitation e.g. chairperson LC IIIs get 290,000= monthly as facilitation despite their tight schedule while others did not know that is was their role to monitor and supervise schools, laxity while others said that sometimes they visit the schools and don’t sign in the visitors’ books especially when they delegate
 Let us take responsibility to monitor education because Education is a systematic process through which a child or an adult acquires knowledge, experience, skill and sound attitude. It makes an individual civilized, refined, cultured and educated. For a civilized and socialized society, education is the only means. Its goal is to make an individual perfect.  We need to give importance to education because it is a panacea for all evils and solves the various problems of life thus a developed nation. Together we can make a difference. 

Compiled by:

Ms. Sheila Kengingo & Ms. Erina Kahunde 

RWECO/RIDE AFRICA