ToroDev organized a 2 days capacity building training to orient & train new Citizens ‘Advocacy Forum leaders with skills in Financial Literacy, Resource mobilization & fundraising, Advocacy, RBM and ICT reporting.

ToroDev organized a two days capacity building training to impart advocacy forum members with skills in Advocacy, Financial literacy, Results Based Methodology (RBM) reporting and ICT documentation & reporting. The training came as a result of ToroDev realizing that many new forum members face challenges and lack skills in financial literacy, sustainability of the village saving groups initiated by the forum members ,lack skills in resource mobilization and fundraising , lack skills in report writing and documentation using ICT tools to improve communication and information sharing for improved service delivery.

 

During the training members were motivated, strengthened and encouraged to lobby for improved service delivery and demand accountability from local leaders especially using both traditional and modern ICT tools like FM radios, mobile telephony and online visualization, mapping tools and how to use MML http://www.mmlonline.org.

The members were also encouraged to mobilize local communities for development and bridge the gap between local citizens and their leaders using appropriate ICT tools like FM radios, mobile telephony tools, etc.

Anne Manyindo Facilitating during the capacity building training

The two days Training was attended by 40 advocacy forum members from 4 districts of Kabarole, Ntoroko, Kyegegwa and Kyenjojo.

                                  

The training was held on 18^th-19^th May 2017 at ToroDev resource centre and was facilitated by Anne Manyindo, Edward Itoote and ToroDev team

Outputs

·          Forty (40 )  members of 20  advocacy forums attended the two days training

·         Knowledge and skills in Financial Literacy, Resource mobilization & fundraising, Advocacy, RBM and ICT reporting shared

·         Challenges affecting the advocacy forums shared and way forward to address them set.

·         Action points  developed

Participants in group work exercise

 Outcomes of the training after 2-6 months

·         Advocacy forum members having a clear articulation of priority public service delivery needs to duty bearers using both on physical and online platforms to lobby, advocate and share service delivery issues with the duty bearers.

·         After 2 months there shall be increased in number & quality of monthly online posts & physical engagements with duty bearers by civic groups from current 20 posts per  month to 40 posts per months

·         In 3-6 months there shall be increased number of projects initiated by the advocacy forums to sustain the work of the forums, each forum is meant to start up an income generating project by July 2017.

·         Increased monitoring, lobbying and advocacy skills by the leaders of the forums to improve service delivery.

 

Advocacy forum members listening to a presentation

 Key Action points proposed after the training

“As Rwenzori Youth Leaders Network the first thing we shall do in the month of June is to sensitize students in Kabarole district on prevention of HIV/AIDS in secondary schools, we shall work hand in hand with the head teachers to have meetings with students at least twice a month”.  Said    Katutu Mary   secretary Rwenzori Youth Leaders Network

“As Bufunjo people forum we shall continue lobbying and advocating for improved service delivery in education and health sectors through physical meetings and radio talkshows where most members listen to FM Radio broadcasting, we further plan to seriously follow up the pledges made by leaders during campaigns to see that they are fulfilled”. Said Sunday James Manyindo from Bufunjo people’s forum

“From this training we plan to start up a stationary shop in the month of June as one way of having an income generating activity which can generate money to sustain the work of advocacy forum in Mugusu Sub country”. Said Tibenda Stephen from Mugusu Sub County.

 “We appreciate ToroDev for the training and am happy that from the skills I have gained I will organize members of our forum to Start a village saving group in Rwebisengo Sub county as one way to have members come together”. Said Amos Karuhanga from Ntoroko District.

Jane Ahaisibwe from Butiiti sharing achievements & challenges of the forum

“From this training we plan to use the skills to develop stories of change and share them with others on social media for proper advocacy and lobbying for improved service delivery in Kabarole District. We plan to work closely with journalists to improve in information flow”. Said Ategeka Christopher of Rwenzori Youth Leaders Network

“We soon plan to go back and mobilize members and start up a piggery project by September 2017, at least we shall have 10 pigs as one way of sustaining the work of advocacy forums”.  Said Mutegeki Patrick of Harugongo Community Development Forum.

 “The skills gained from this training will be shared in meetings organized by School management committees and PTA which we commit to regularly attend to plan together on how to improve service delivery in schools by June 2017”. Said Kasweta John of Hakibale citizen group.

“We shall continue advocating for better services in all sectors and write petitions and present them to the district leaders where necessary. The advocacy forums have played vital roles in monitoring services, lobbying & advocating for improved service delivery and demanding for public accountability from the duty bearers and as a result of their efforts services have been improved in different sectors”. Said Mukwano Senyonjo from,PRIFODE in Mugusu sub country during the training.

The coordinator PRIFODE, Ssenyonjo Mukwano sharing success stories from his forum

Conclusively the genesis of initiating the advocacy forum begun way back in August, 2012 after ToroDev trained 120 rural monitors in online advocacy, monitoring service delivery using online social media/ICT tools like Ushahidi platform for online documentation, visualization and  mapping. The 120 rural monitors after acquiring the skills went further to mobilize other members to form forums in their respective sub counties. And so far 21 forums have been initiated each with Minimum number of 50 members. http://torodev.blogspot.ug/2013/11/torodev-trains-rural-advocacy-forum.html.

We are grateful to SIDA, SPIDER, NED, and CIPESA for the financial and technical support to have these programs.