GFC Grantees meet to discus road Map

RIC-NET participated in meeting of GFC grassroots’ grantees partnership on the 14^th and 15^th April at JICA hotel in Ntinda.

The purpose of this meeting was to convene the GFC Grantees to meet Queenie Nyati of the Arise Consult to share her key findings of the OCA and also for the GFC grantees to meet and share amongst themselves the work they do so that they can forge partnerships and also to form an association for better coordination.

OCA Feedback: Queenie shared with participants her approach on OCA. She stated that OCA would be conducted in three phases:

(i) Field based assessment (draft report sharing),(ii) Triangulation (physical discussion of the report) and (iii) Prioritization (pick the most 2 priority areas and develop them together).

Queenie and the participants brainstormed on the legal requirements of NGO’s after brainstorming, she guided the participants on statutory requirements for NGO which all organizations would adhere to. These included:  Pay as you earn, National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Local Service Tax (LST) and Registration.

The outcomes from the meeting was the formation of the GFC grantees coalition as the “coalition of organization on conflict affected children and youth in Uganda”.RIC-NET was chosen as the lead agency where as Bahati Kanyamanza of CIYOTA as Team leader, Yikiru Comfort  of RICE-WN- (Treasurer), Emmy Zoomlmai of FICH- (Secretary) and  Godfrey Conwat of HPH (committee member.

On the other hand, members were encouraged to have a diary of activities to help in capturing the quantitative and qualitative data, define well the outcome indicators, and have a comprehensive and harmonized system of documentation of work results.

1. STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON INTERACTIVE LEARNING USING ICT TOOLS

Students of St Theresa Girls secondary schools Nsenyi in Kasese have expressed their satisfaction on how ICT guided lesson have improved their concentration in class. This was revealed when the M&E staff from RWECO visited the school to learn the extend at which the use of ICT has changed the teaching learning process with emphasis to the learners as the primary target.

Kabugho Edith S.2 mentioned that “…I am happy that ours English teachers are now using computer to teaching us. This will make us be at the same level as those students in Kampala schools ….”and “…I was able to understand the parts of speech better when Madam Edith taught us using pictures as compared to the lesson without computer last time...” said Musime Juliet S.2 Another students mentioned that “I am able to follow what the teacher is teaching us in class better when he uses the computer than when he does not use the computer” said Ithungu Juliet S.3.

According to teacher Edith, the use of ICT tools has helped her mainly in class control and ensuring every student in participating in the lesson. Teaching is now more interactive and easier. She expressed concern that such program should be extended to other teachers in other schools in Kasese to improve the teaching of English and increased teacher’s capacity in lesson planning and presentation.

RICNET HOLDS A REFRESHER TRAINING IN PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS

A total of 8 female teachers appeared for the training that took place at palace motel Fort Portal. The three day training took place on the 25^th, 26^th and 27^th March 2015 and brought teachers from St Theresa girls Nsenyi Kasese, Semliki high school Bundibugyo, Rwamwanja secondary school Rwamwanja refugee settlement Kamwenge and Bujubuli vocational secondary Kyaka ii refugee camp

  Kyegegwa district.

 

RIC-NET staff Evelyn poses with the teachers and the facilitator after the training

The training aimed at equipping teachers with more skills of handling conflict affected girls and help girls address challenges that they face in their day to day life. Provide the teachers with more knowledge about psychosocial support and how they can use it to help young girls in their day today challenges and discuss about some of the girl child challenges and how they can be solved by female teachers.

some of the teachers during an ice break

The training involved a lot of creativity and practicability in addressing girl children challenges and with a lot of fun with many ice breaks. The training saw teachers go home with new knowledge of handling girl child issues and also able to mentor girls and make them successful and resourceful people in their lives.

TEACHERS IMPRESSED WITH MONTHLY ICT SUPPORT.

1

RIC-NET staff has been moving around the schools offering training and capacity building to teachers of English in Schools of Kasese.16 teachers (6 female and 10 males) and 3 tutors (1 Female and 2 males) have been participating in these monthly trainings.

The purpose of the monthly support to teacher was to improve capacity and mentorship. The issues handled were purposely meant to; improve the quality of lesson preparation and presentation by the teachers and Offer a one stop point to handle one on one problem of each teacher.

The capacity building helped to handle Individual teacher’s problems with regard to use of ICT in lesson preparation especially the teacher’s competency to use and apply ICT tools in lesson preparation. Ms Hellen Mbambu of St Charles SS Kasanga agreed that the monthly mentorship have Motivated her and other teachers to accept the dynamic teaching environment.

On the other hand Teachers able to review the lessons of others in the same department, setting joint monthly tests across and reviewing monthly outputs in terms of lesson planning and presentations. An agreement to shares monthly exams and support each other in marking was reached and agreed upon by all the teachers.

We joined the rest for ICT4D learning and Business Development workshops

The four days work shop that took place at Pope Paul memorial hotel in Kampala attracted participants from the Education and health nodes of the ICT4D partners. RWECO/RICNET, Computers for schools, Jinja Diocese, UNHCO, UCMB, among others.

The first two days 3^rd and 4^th March were meant for ICT4D learning and the major issues tackled were reviewing social innovation process; What was working well, What we found difficult in moving forward with the projects and What surprised us a session that was led by Bernadette Anneke. 

We discussed all these issues as a group.

We also discussed the organizational capacities and capabilities looking at Strengths and weaknesses in relation to the 5 capabilities and ICT integration. We teamed up as organizations and discussed our strengths and weaknesses in relation to;

1.  Capability to Adapt and self renewal

2.  Capability to relate and to attract resources and support

3.  Capability to commit and engage

4.  Capability to carry out tasks

5.  Capability to balance diversity and to achieve coherence

We also discussed the gender implications of ICT4D; how it influences what we do and how we do it with some experiences that were given by some participants.

We also discussed the progress of each organization, action research presentations that were given by the respective organizations where RWECO had done one and shared results with the members.

The workshop was characterized by several discussions and presentations by the participants that made it more interactive and beneficial.

Day two was winded up by discussing the way forward and upcoming events which emerged to be the Techies club and CCLE.

The second workshop Business Development started on 5^th to 6^th March at the same venue with objectives being highlighted.

This training led us to business models two days work that were facilitated by Ken Kumbuga from Ghana and Kaija Patrick Ugandan. We discussed the business plan vs a business model and understanding the difference between the two. We also realized that you need both of them to be able to succeed in the endeavors for a business. The difference between the two was given to be;

That where as a business plan is many pages, business model is one page, operational in thought is a business plan while a business model is strategic in thought and many other differences.

Emphasis was on a business model canvas (BMC) and the 9 building blocks of a BMC i.e problem, solution, resources, cost structure, unique value, customer relationships, channels, customer segments (target customers) and revenue streams.

We went further and designed draft business models for our organizations using the canvas model. RWECO/RICNET designed one for set up of a youth, school dropouts training center in I.C.T skills, entrepreneur skills, tailoring among others.

We also analyzed and documented our BMs looking at where our revenues will come from, what value is delivered to which market, the costs involved in delivering the value.

We also discussed in day two the sustainability of our organizations by looking at what kind of revenue generation activities our organizations will be involved in a year from now using the SWOT analysis of the business models we had developed.

We also discussed a cash flow analysis in relation to the business models, developed a sample business plan and put it together with the cash flow.

It was a good learning period to us all.

RIC-NET -GFC SUPPORTS CONFLICT AFFECTED GIRLS' BABIES

Advancing the dignity of vulnerable children and youth is the key to RIC-NET and Global Fund for Children (GFC). with this, empowering out of school conflict affected girls with livelihood trainings, apprenticeship, entrepreneurship, reproductive health, psycho social support and mentoring are core activities at the heart of GFC and RIC-NET.

to ensure that the Conflcit affected Girls who are single parents (mothers)  concetrate on the trainigs,their babies received some funds to cater for the baby needs and day care espenses.
A total of 8 babies have supported from the two centers; Bwera in Kasese district and Bundibugyo district.

Girls pose for a photo with their babies after receiving the support

The now empowered girls also shared their visions and dreams and the efforts they are putting towards achieving them. 
One of the beneficiaries Mbambu Grace, trained in hair dressing is has established a saloon that is giving her a daily income of about 70,000 shillings (20 dollars).  Kabugho Margret who has trained in tailoring is able to get 40,000 (12 dollars) daily that caters for her needs and that of her child.

RIC-NET VISITS SCHOOLS TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF IN SCHOOL MENTORING PROGRAM

Girls during the visit

The in school psycho-social and mentoring program aims at making conflict affected and traumatized girls be able to become successful people in their lives and be able to overcome the psychological effects of war and conflict as girls are mentored and counseled. Girls are taken through sessions that enhance their self esteem and confidence and aims at making them women leaders, business women and important people in their communities and look at their future rather than what happened to them in the past as a result of war and conflict.

The visit took place on the 9^th and 10^th of March 2015.

The aim of the visit was to check the progress of the mentoring sessions that help conflict affected and traumatized girls raise their esteem and confidence that will help them in their future.

Girls were able to share their success stories since they started the mentoring sessions and these are some of them:

Mbabazi Patience, a rising star confessed that she had changed her behaviors and she no longer quarrels and only concentrates on her studies.

 

 One of the girls sharing her story

Bahemuka Sarah said the mentoring sessions have helped her gain   confidence in public speaking.

Kayesu Agnes said that the sessions have helped her in exploring her talents like dancing and singing through the confidence she has gained from the sessions so far.

Wamahoro Espelanza says she was able to have a vision which is becoming a nurse and she is putting a lot of efforts to achieving it.

Girls have learned to put first things first which helps them to concentrate much on their studies and leave out other non issues like boy-girl relationships at an early age.

All the girls were saying that they have a positive change they have got from the sessions.