Infrastructure Services have been improved in Bufunjo seed Secondary school due to the efforts of radio talkshows, Trac fm and Bufunjo Advocacy forum.

ToroDev with financial support from SIDA, NED, SPIDER, CIPESA, WOUGNET, DRT, ICT4Dem and Indigo Trust, has been able to partner and support the work done by 20 advocacy forums. (Advocacy forums; are locally organised community groups that ToroDev initiated to advance the issues of public accountability at the sub-county level. We currently have 20 spread in the 7 districts). 

“Advocacy forums in partnership with ToroDev use different ICT tools to promote information and knowledge exchange on accountability and governance issues in the Rwenzori sub-region. ICTs tools like radio, trac Fm and  online social medial  were used as a platform by local citizens to hold duty bearers accountable. It is further are by advocacy forums to lobby and advocate for improved service delivery. Tracfm, facebook and Ushahidi platforms were used to generate discussion issues for radio moderators and who invite duty bearers to respond to the pressing service delivery issues” .Said Sheila Amanya M&E Officer ToroDev.

Sheila Added ToroDev in partnership with advocacy forums uses different offline platforms to promote public accountability for improved service delivery. For example accountability meetings is an offline platform has increased citizen participation in public accountability.

It is during such meetings that Bufunjo Seed Secondary School in Bufunjo sub-county, Kyenjojo District problems were raised. The classrooms were in a deplorable condition and there was no apparent plan to improve them.  The local government had earlier on given money to a contractor who only cleared the ground and dug the foundation. The contractor then disappeared and left no trace.

 Above: Bufunjo Seed Secondary School before the new classroom structures

Bufunjo Seed Secondary School after the construction of new classroom structures

Bufunjo Advocacy forum members took up the issue and requested for airtime 6 times in accountability radio talkshows sponsored by ToroDev. In discussing the state of education in Bufunjo this issue was brought up. The head teacher Mr.Byaruhanga Sylvester participated on the radio talkshows which acted to amplify the problem. The problem was further projected on different online platforms https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=417117718428593&set=pcb.639583252803637&type=3&theater These advocacy yielded results when the local government allocated 100M in 2015 to construct 2 classroom blocks for Bufunjo Seed Secondary School and in 2016 another 100M was released to construct more 2 classroom blocks. 

 (Above) Before furnishing the class rooms with desks (Below) After provision of desks in classrooms

 “I was hosted on Better Fm with members of Bufunjo People’ forum wherewe discussed the poor state of the school infrastructure. We commend the work of the advocacy forum for advocating for improved service delivery in our areas.  I thank ToroDev for giving us airtime to inform leaders about the school status and we are happy that leaders responded immediately after the radio talkshow and in March 2015 we were given a grant of 100m to work on 2 classrooms and buy desks”. Reported Mr .Byaruhanga Sylvester, the head teacher Bufunjo Seed Secondary School.http://torodev.blogspot.ug/2015/09/bufunjo-peoples-forum-advocate-for.html

We are grateful to all our partners SIDA, SPIDER, NED, ICT4DEM, WOUGNET and advocacy forums for the support.