FUTURE IN OUR HANDS.

Youth from the secondary schools agreed that the future is in their hands. This was realized during the inter-school debate conducted on 28^th September 2017 at Bubukwanga SS. the debate was organized under  the theme “the youth are responsible for escalation of conflicts in the community”.4 schools participated with total of 72 participants 32 female and 40 males including 10 teachers. Schools that participated were Bubukwanga SS as host, Kabango SS, Good hope SS and Three Angels high school.

The deputy head teacher of Bubukwanga SS gave an opening remark stressing the Idea of change of “attitude and mindset”He challenged the youth to focus on real things that can change their standard of living for better, other than hatred and deceit.

During the discussion the youth realized that indicators of tribalism are taking them behind, and that elders and government have contributed a lot to the action the youth are involved in at community.

These actions were highlighted as unemployment, quality of education, partisan politics, divide and rule policy and unconstitutional way of governance, while other realized that youth actions like drug abuse, loitering, are individual based. The youth made a resolution to refocus, create friendship and be role model at the schools where they come from. This will pave way for community transformation.

LEADERS CONDUCT A REVIEWS OF SECTIONS IN THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ACT

District leaders of Bundibugyo participated in the advocacy meeting on the implementation of the Cultural institutions Act. The meeting was held on the 27^th September 2017 and attended by 26 people 14 male and 12 female participants were security, RDC, political leaders, ministers of cultural institutions, religious leaders, youth leaders and CSOs and media. The agenda of the meeting was on policy review of the cultural institutions act and its implementation on the community.

The participants looked at specifically those articles that have been mis-interpreted or not followed by the existing cultural institutions. They agreed that the Act has not been followed either it’s been misinterpreted by those supported to interpret it to the public. Such as articles 6,9,13 and 17 in the cultural Institutions Act 2015 and also looked at the constitutional provisions of establishment of cultural institutions and OBB in Bundibugyo.

After the discussion the members resolved that:

• cultural leaders should not participate in politics either directly or indirectly. 
• The District council resolution that recommended the establishment of OBB in Bundibugyo is shared with OBB and OBR such that the two can understand the key resolutions. 
• That leader should take time to understand the Act itself before attacking other people. 
•  District and cultural leaders should make a visit to Acholi land and learn how cultural leaders and politicians have worked together for peace. 
• The community should use the blood pact actions that existed in our tradition create the bonds that unite the people of different tribes/ethnicity. 

STOP DIVIDING US”, COMMUNITY CALL ON GOVERNMENT.

On 26^th September 2017 the community of Rwenzori region joined to participate in the international day of peace that was held in Bwesumbu sub county Kasese District. The peace day event attracted over 1000 people including students and pupils from schools, parents affected by the November attacks, Esyamango from OBR, local politicians represented by the LCV chairperson, religious leaders, local musician from all ethnic divides and members from the CSOs.

Bundibugyo District was represented by the youth from Bandi-magwara cultural group where 20 people were supported. Key results from the events were; people were free to enjoy the cultural diversity of the different drama groups, religious leaders preached peace and unity to the community.

A message of hope from the Hon Mbathulhagho who represented the LCV Mr. sibendire moved people to understand their role in the peace process. He said we must burry the past and focus on the present and the future.

Ecumenical prayers were held for peace and unity and to bring sanity in the sub county. A sign of hope was shown when community freely shared soft drinks and refreshment with members from different tribes including security. Tree planting was done to commemorate the tree of hope at Bwesumbu primary school and other surrounding schools and communities.

All the speeches, music and drama was driving to; facilitating more local engagement actions to build a strong grass root foundation against Conflict Merchants. Dialogue platforms need to be created for local citizens to always meet and analyze issues of development at their local levels. Respecting the independence of the different arms of Government is pertinent for human rights promotion and conflicts management. Youth were asked to defy wrong advises that are anti-Peace and encouraged to work for their stable future.

Batwa conduct a reflection meeting.

On 25^th September 2017 the Batwa community of bundibugyo held at Ntandi TTC hall Ntandi town council.40 Batwa attended. 17 were female and 23 male. The meeting was also attended by LCIII chairperson, LCI chairperson, and members from CSOs and area District councilor.

Batwa picking lesons from the Gulu experince

During the meeting, the Batwa re-affirmed their commitment to the Alcohol By-law they formed and suggest that leaders at allow level support them in the implementation process. They also agreed that parents should be exemplary at home to promote peace. They also agreed to take and support their children in the schools as it’s the only way they can make a step in development.

They re-affirmed their commitment to Batwa community Tukulakulane association. An association that bring everyone together. That the association will be used to lobby government to support their development programs.  

LCIII leader sharing with the Batwa

In his remarks the chairperson LCIII Mr. Jackson Musema appreciate the efforts of RIC-NET to support the Batwa come up with the program of forming a group, he promised to support the group with projects under youth development programs and also promised the Batwa to nominate 2 people to act as VHTs in their community, the two will receive training from the health department at the sub county and thus monitor the health situations among the Batwa people. But the Batwa must show cause.

supporting conflict affected girls in school

Girls  and children continue to be the most vulnerable group of people in times of disasters and conflict .During conflict girls get so vulnerable to sexual violence and lack basic needs which are more than those of their male counter parts  since they loose care takers and parents, through arrests ,death , migrations among other effects of conflict.This makes children and girls too susceptible to drop out of school, early marriages ,early pregnancies among other challenges .RIC-NET with support from the Global Fund for Children supports conflict affected girls in schools with psycho social support and mentoring , reproductive health knowledge , sanitary material , scholastic material to girls who have been affected by conflict .

RIC-NET staff hands over some of the items to some of the conflict affected girls with their matron

RIC-NET supported girls at Kithoma peas who were affected by the recent tribal conflicts in the Rwenzori region .The girls were supported with sanitary material ,books , pens,soap among other items .

RIC-NET STAFF TRAINED IN FUNDRAISING AND GRANT MANAGEMENT

RIC-NET with other GFC partners in Uganda sent 2 staff per organization with support from the Global Fund for children(GFC) to train in fundraising and grant management course at the MS-TCDC training center in Arusha Tanzania. The organizations that attended included: CIYOTA, RIC-NET, COW-FOUNDATION, HPH, FICH, LICO and RICE-WN.

RIC-NET was represented by Mr. Murugahara John and Miss Kenyana Evelyn in the 8 days training that was facilitated by Mr. Edson Nyingi. The training aimed at equipping the organizations with capacity to fundraise and manage grants so that they are able to do their development work well.

The participants pose for a photo at the closure of the course with the course administrator and the facilitator 

 Participants were taken through sessions to enhance their organization capacity to fundraise and these include:

 participants during one of the sessions

Organization strategic plan (the facilitator emphasized on the idea of having a strategic plan for the organization as it directs its work)

The theory of change (what change the organization requires and ways of achieving it)

The fundraising strategic plan which clearly states what the organization intends to achieve financially and ways how it will achieve it  

Proposal development (situation analysis, problem tree analysis, SWOT/BEEM analysis, the logic model, the logic frame work)

The participants also visited one women’s group in Moshi called (Tanzania women research foundation) TAWREF, which gave strategies on how they do fundraising, how they get their donors and how they manage competitors.

Participants during the field visit with some staff from TAWREF

 The organization ED shared that they have fundraising strategy which includes proposal writing, charity shop (business that generates income for the organization to address its administration costs)

 Key ideas from the training

 An organization can do small business to maintain its administration costs as some times donors do not provide administration costs.

The 80/20 theory which emphasizes organizations to write as many proposals as they can .The theory suggests that every 80 proposals written at least 20 will be successful.

 The idea of networks and consortiums was emphasized for proper fundraising

 Fundraising takes place at all levels in the organization and by all staff.

Participants were handed over certificates at the closure of the training by the course administrator and the facilitator.

RIC-NET staff Evelyn receiving her certificate