U-REPORT WINDS SWEEP ACROSS KYEGEGWA AND KYENJOJO DISTRICTS

A youth in Kyenjojo  responds to U-report registration questions on his cell phone

The youths in Kyegegwa and Kyenjojo have had no choice but to sail with the wind of U-report; with a series of U-report trainings going on in the Rwenzori region, and youths/citizens being recruited as U-reporters, over 50 people in the two districts have been reached with the good news of speaking on what is happening in their communities through the Sms based platform.

The trainings in the two districts (Kyegegwa and Kyenjojo) were conducted on 12^th Nov. 2012 and 05^th Dec. 2012 at the Community hall and Kaihura Primary school respectively.

The training that was conducted by the Coordinator of Kyegegwa rural information Center, Matovu Charles in Kyegegwa District attracted 40 (18 females and 22 males) while in Kyenjojo the training attracted 20 (2 females and 18 males) and was conducted by the RIC-NET and Mwenge rural information Center’s (MRIC) Information Officers Alice Mbayahi and Marunga Monica.

During the trainings the participants were taken through what U-report is, who can be a u-reporter, how it operates, it’s mission and how one can be a U-reporter; this was a practical session. Approximately 30 persons registered during the training sessions while the rest promised to do as soon as they find phones on which to register and always use.

Unfortunately, although majority of the youths in attendance were excited about the program and wished to be U-reporters averagely 5 of every 20 youths had phones. This in a way limited the recruitment of many youths as U-reporters.

In a related development, the rains also partly frustrated the turn up of the youths for these trainings; in Kyenjojo for instance the rains that started at around 5:00am poured till mid-day, hence causing a very poor turn up of the participants.

During the trainings, youths noted that they had lots of service delivery challenges in their communities that they needed to report on although they didn’t not know where to report since their leaders are ceremonial. They appreciated the platform, expressing that they hope it provides a solution to their long standing issues and disillusionment.

The youths through RIC-NET appealed to UNICEF to consider providing a phone per one or two villages on which youths/citizens without phones can also use to report or participate in decision making processes. They explained that in as much as they want to be U-reporters, to some phones are still so expensive given the level of unemployment and biting poverty up-country.  

They promised to routinely report, participate in U-report poll questions and to recruit more u-reporters.

RIC-NET Information Officer poses for a Photo with some newly recruited U-reporters in Kyenjojo district at Kaihura Primary School.