ToroDev held a meeting with advocacy forums to Strengthen their Institutional Capacity in demanding & Advocating for Improved Service Delivery

 As a way of strengthening the institutional capacity of 21 advocacy forums leaders in demanding & advocating for improved service delivery using different platforms, ToroDev on 1^st November, 2016 organized a one day meeting that brought  all the leaders of the 21 advocacy  forums together to encourage each other,  share their experience and achievement for 2016 and also to plan early for 2017.

Forty (40) participants from 21 forums attended the meeting, journalists under Rwenzori Journalist Forum also attended to strengthen the network.

 During the meetings ideas were shared among the forum  leaders on how best the forums can be sustained with or without the support from ToroDev.

“I encourage you to keep chasing the goal of your forum, keep on building on the objective as to why you initiated the forums, this can be done with or without the support of ToroDev , I encourage you to use platforms like radio talkshows and rural debates to continue engaging leaders to give accountability and kindly continue monitoring services in health, education and other sectors and inform leaders of the gaps discovered”. Said Sheila Amanya M&E ToroDev

Sheila Amanya M&E ToroDev addressing the forum leaders during the meeting.

  “I appreciate ToroDev for all that the organization has done to strengthen the work of advocacy forums meetings, trainings and workshops organized by ToroDev and I have gained a lot of skills and experience, As  a leader  of Katebwa Forum, I know the work  we are doing is voluntary so I encourage everyone to keep active and achieve every goal  set by the forum” Said Muhindo Ezra the leader of Kaatebwa Forum

 “With or without facilitation from ToroDev , our work  to defend the rights of people in our communities has to go on,  I encourage the leaders to have simple businesses that can sustain the forums’ work”. Said Jane Ahaisibwe, Butiiti people’s forum

“We need to continue networking amongst ourselves members, we need to keep sharing information, document issues discovered on facebook and engage leaders in serious radio debates so that we can keep speaking for our people”. Said Monday Wilson Nkoma forum

“We have platforms where we can still be very active that is the radio talk shows lets use them seriously to engage every leader that is hosted from our area and let’s not give up on achieving and chasing for our objectives”. Said Mukwano Senyonjo, Mugusu Forum. 

Participants recommended that;

i.            There is need to organize more rural radio debates to enhance women’ and youth’ participation especially in districts like Ntoroko, Kyegegwa and Kamwenge.“Since the rural debates are targeting women, more should be held at least twice a month”. Said Mokonyenzi Winfred the moderator of Orukurato on 105.6 Jubilee radio.

ii.            “The local leadership has appreciated the role played by advocacy forums this shows that we need to work harder and sustain the activities of the forums, we can start requesting for membership fee from members just as a way to sustain the forum”. Said Andrew Tumwesigye, the leader of Bufunjo People’s Forum, Kyenjojo District, during the panel discussion on the performance of advocacy forums in the region.

iii.            “CSO’s-District local governments’ forums are important avenues for sharing and planning together, so we need to attend such meetings whenever they are organized by ToroDev” Sheila Amanya ToroDev.

We thank SIDA, NED, SPIDER, ICT4DEM & CIPESA for the support that keep the work of advocacy forums vibrant in Rwenzori sub region.