Uganda

Communities stimulate change: District Development Support Programme

One of the best ways to make a lasting difference in a community is by involving members in decision-making and implementation. When participants believe their input is valued, they are more likely to contribute their time and energy. This strategy paid off in Uganda.

Years of civil conflict had left the population poor, hungry and in bad health. Poverty was especially severe in the districts of Hoima, Kibaale and Kabarole, where annual income was less than half the national average of US$ 240 and people were forced to use two thirds of it to pay for food. But participants were determined to improve the quality of their lives. Villagers quickly adopted the lessons they learned and passed them on to others, teaching each other about good nutrition, personal hygiene, the value of immunization and the benefits of modern farming techniques.

Community groups were the driving force. Golet is the treasurer of her village association. “I joined because I understand the role these groups play ,” she explains. “I urge members to work hard and to set a good example. So far we have planted vegetable gardens, made home improvements and fixed the sewers.”

In the district of Hoima, demonstrations and improved materials boosted honey production from 750 kg to 4.5 tons and rice yields from 412 to 2,035 tons. In Kibaale and Kamwenge, rice farmers doubled their income per hectare. New wells and rainwater harvesting tanks provide over 20,000 families with clean drinking water. Four maternity clinics now have solar power and a vaccination programme is immunizing children against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus.

The challenges are still great. Better links with the private sector will be needed to make sure higher yields find a market. Better trained health workers must be found to staff clinics. But because community groups have participated from the start, the improvements are more likely to be sustained .

Lessons learned:

Patience pays off.
Earlier efforts in Hoima/Kibaale and Masindi districts were only partially successful – the damage from years of civil strife could not be turned around overnight. The current programme has registered such impressive gains in part because of the steps taken a decade before.

Raising awareness and income.
Village meetings, radio programmes, a newsletter and theatre productions in the local language helped to ensure participation by the whole community.