Rwenzori Rural and
Urban Development organization (RUDO-UGANDA) operates in
7 sub counties of Bukuku, Kichwamba, Katebwa , Kabonera ,
Harugongo, Karago, and Karangura with a network of 2- member
organizations spread in the 7 mentioned
sub counties focusing on Human rights,
good governance, education, health and economic development as key focus
areas.
In the month of June RUDO
with support from ToroDev visited Mahyoro P.S, Nyakitokoli P.S, MT Gessi P.S,
Nyarukamba P.S under the education sector, Nyakitokoli HCII under health sector
and under economic development visited families that benefited from Operation
Wealth Creation program in Karangura sub county.
The main concern of the
field exercise was to know the status of service delivery in the selected
schools, health centre and in economic development programs so as to present
the finding to duty bearers during accountability meetings and petitions and
also use the findings to lobby and advocate using physical platforms and other
ICT tools like radios to improve service delivery.
As outputs, Four (4) schools, one (1) health centre II and some families that
benefited from operation wealth creation programs were visited also way forward
set to address the key challenges identified from the three (3) sectors.
There are some key
findings discovered including; SMC & PTA are not all active and this has
caused poor planning, monitoring and accountability in the visited schools,
Minimal absenteeism of teachers and ability to give assignment to learners and
mark it. ‘’In Mahyoro p/s because we have been following them as a forum, there
is improved participation of community members in supporting schools programs
because they have been sensitized and empowered by the radio talk shows and
other platforms supported by civil society’’, said Vincent Kule
RUDO-Uganda chairperson. There is a big gap discovered at MT Gessi P.S where
out of seven (7) members of staff non is female hence making it difficult to
handle issues of the girl child.
In Nyakitokoli HC11
staff absenteeism is high, there are no enough drugs, the health unit does not
receive PHC funds to help the health unit with community program like
immunization, there is a nurse patient ratio of 1:1000, no beds, kitchen,
washing room, laboratory etc at the health centre. On operation wealth creation
(OWC) plans, budgets and priorities are imposed on the farmers , the farmers
have no bargaining powers , farmers do not participate in planning processes, funds allocated and
released are not shown to farmers,
extension workers do not reached farmers to equip them with farming skills ,
late supply of seeds, inadequate supply and the distribution criteria is
influenced by politics.
Among the outcomes, on 5th/7/2017
a community engagement meeting with
local leaders was organized by RUDO in partnership with ToroDev and KRC where
district duty bearers were hosted to address key findings discovered during the
field activity carried out by RUDO.“We
organized a meeting and called district chairperson Kabarole, RDC, DHO, LCIII
and district and sub county councilors to address the findings discovered. We are
happy that change has already taken place for example at Nyakitokoli HCII where
old staffs were known to be off duty daily, new staffs have been brought and
introduced before the community members, construction of the road to ease
movement of people and goods and the
Health centre has been upgraded to a HC III from II”, Said Kule Vincent forum leader.
Action plans and recommendations’
were brought up in that meeting especially supply of enough drugs to
handle the big numbers of patients who come to seek for health services at
Nyakitokoli HC11, increasing incomes of community members by mobilizing them to benefit from OWC and also recruiting
other health workers who can handle patients are some of the issues which RUDO
forum is following up.
We take this
opportunity to thank SIDA, NED, SPIDER,
ICT4DEM, and CIPESA for the financial and technical support.