Rwenzori Women's Initiative for Community Development is a local CBO that was founded in 2002 by 5 female community development activists. The mission of RWICOD is to improve the living conditions of the rural and urban communities in the Rwenzori region. The focus of our efforts is to reduce the poverty, specifically with the women, in Busongora county, Kasese district, Western Uganda
THE PREM RAWAT FOUNDATION GIVES FURTHER AID TO THE
FEEDING PROJECT IN UGANDA WORTH US $ 10,000
The Prem Rawat Foundation has again extended financial support to the Feeding
program in Kasese, Uganda. This continues hope for 80 suffering kids that are fed
with support from TPRF that started in March 2010. Funds for the continuation
of the project was received at RWICOD near the end of November 2010. The kids
are again receiving nutritious meals and looking very healthy and full of hope.
Updates on the progress of the project will be posted on our website from time to
time including pictures of the kids receiving aid.
INTRODUCTION:
At RWICOD, we have always held the view that communities can only prosper when they are empowered with the means which may include skills and or resources to take control of their own lives. This philosophy has been at the core of all our activities for the year. Some projects/activities have targeted skills development and employment creation. Such activities have included programmes such as training in knitting. Other innovative projects such as oil pressing are an example copied from Kenya that can have a direct positive impact in the fight on household poverty. In addition, projects like animal traction are intended to bring new techniques of land clearance to the community that are both less labor intensive and yet require low capital input in an environmentally friendly manner. So, we are trying by all means to make the community a productive lot to ensure they develop themselves through initiating various development projects and urging the community members to involve themselves in these activities.
ACTIVITY INVOLVEMENT:
RWICOD members have been at the centre of implementing most of the projects. Also however, the community has also been brought on board. Most of the skills programmes have targeted the community.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
We worked tirelessly throughout the course of 2008 and we were able to register a number of achievements that have made us a fast growing and innovative non profit organization in the Kasese area.
From our own initiatives, we were able to record the following successes;
- We trained 20 young women and 10 young men in knitting skills. They have been able to find some jobs in mushrooming and tailoring and knitting workshops in the district. We are optimistic this will contribute to their self reliance.
-We produced 4 tons of maize corn in the June-July harvest and we were able to earn 2,000,000 UGX from our produce sales.
-We expanded our micro credit venture with a new injection of cash so as to reach more needy women in need of small seed capitals to run small business to support their families. This was in addition to a two day workshop on management of loan money to our clients, most of whom are women and about half of them are members of RWICOD.
-We started a carpentry workshop and we have employed 4 full time carpenters. We pay them piece rate and they and their families are very happy.
-We bought 2 motor cycles and put them on taxi service for a small regular income to afford us small basic requirements necessary for our office.
The following have been the achievements of the year in which our donors have put a very significant input;
-In January 2008, we were supported by Trees for the Future a US environmental organization with seeds of multi-purpose fast growing trees species such as lucaena, prosopis juliflora etc and US $ 100 to carry out a nursery bed project to grow seedlings for the community to plant to reverse the rampant deforestation in our region and ultimately fight global warming.
-In March 2008, we were supported by NASF with a grant in the amount of US $ 2,500. With this support, we were able to put up a structure on our plot and hence we established a permanent presence on the plot.
-In June 2008, we were supported by the Oxted One World Group with grant support in the amount of Pound Sterling 1,250. With this grant, we were able to buy a set of oxen to revolutionize land tillage for poor communities in Kisinga Sub County, Kasese district. This has relieved poor peasants especially women of a lot of labour in preparing fields using human muscles besides being an environmentally sound technology.
In July 2008, one of our staff Mr Costa Masereka was nominated to represent our organization at the International Disaster and Risk Conference in Davos, Switzerland. This was in recognition of our efforts to combat environmental degradation through our efforts in campaigning for the planting of more trees. He represented Uganda along with Uganda’s Minister for the Environment and Disaster preparedness Mrs Maria Mutagamba at that conference. We are very proud of this development. He brought back home a wealth of knowledge and expertise.
-In September 2008, Mr Costa owing to the overwhelming favour he enjoys within our organization was again nominated to attend a leadership training course in Cape town, South Africa. He was jointly nominated by RWICOD and another sister organization in Kasese district. He brought back a lot of leadership experience in which we are finding an asset for our organization.
-In September 2008, we were again supported by NASF (Nederlands Albert Schweitzer Fonds) with a grant in the amount of US $ 12,000. We received this money at the end of October. With this amount; we have started a vigorous cooking oil production project. We have done so much so far on the project because already 2 staff of RWICOD; Mrs Flavia Masika Kaurusi (chairperson RWICOD) and Mr Costa Masereka (advisor RWICOD) recently returned from Nairobi, Kenya with the inputs and skills/knowledge to pass on to other RWICOD members for a viable oil processing project.
-In October 2008, we were supported by the Stanley Smith Horticultural trust with a Grant in the amount of Pound Sterling 1,600. The grant is meant establish a model horticultural garden in Kanyughunya village, Kisinga sub county in an effort to bring horticultural knowledge to the community emphasizing how horticulture can be a tool to kick poverty out of people’s homes.
-In December 2008, we received supported in the form of refurbished tools from Tools With A Mission, a UK charity. These tools included; knitting machines, computers, carpentry kits, printers and knitting sundries.
MEETINGS:
We had have had the opportunity to meet 5 times this year. We have had 3 executive committee meetings and two general assembly meetings. These meetings have been paving the way forward for our organization to go.
FINANCIAL REPORT:
Below is a summary of the financial report. It has two column i.e DR (Debit) and CR (Credit).
In the Dr column, you will find all the expenditures and in the CR column is the Income. All amounts in the form below are in Uganda shillings. In this financial report, we recorded a surplus of Uganda shillings (UGX) 15,750,000= ( US $ 9,000 at the rate of 1 US $ =1,750 UGX in December 2008). This in part was due to the fact that some projects eg the oil pressing project continues into 2009.
|
No |
PARTICULARS |
DR |
CR |
|
|
|
Shs (UGX) |
Shs (UGX) |
|
1 |
Produce sales |
|
2,000,000= |
|
2 |
Members contributions |
|
200,000= |
|
3 |
Sale of knitted fabrics |
|
1,750,000= |
|
4 |
Support from Trees for the Future Inc. |
|
160,000= |
|
5 |
Grant from NASF |
|
4,150,000= |
|
6 |
Grant from Oxted One World Group |
|
3,750,000= |
|
7 |
2nd Grant Support from NASF |
|
21,000,000= |
|
8 |
Grant from Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust UK |
|
4,750,000= |
|
9 |
Construction of shelter on plot funded by NASF |
3,800,000= |
|
|
10 |
Animal traction project |
4,500,000= |
|
|
11 |
Nursery project supported by Trees for the Future Inc. |
160,000= |
|
|
12 |
Collection of refurbished tools from Tools with A Mission UK from Kampala warehouse |
400,000= |
|
|
13 |
Horticulture project supported Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust |
5,500,000= |
|
|
14 |
Oil pressing project funded by NASF |
4,000,000= |
|
|
15 |
Top up on support from Switzerland (Global Risk Forum) to attend the International Disaster and Risk Conference in Davos, Switzerland |
3,500,000= |
|
|
16 |
Income from Micro credit scheme |
|
2,700,000= |
|
17 |
Office expenses |
1,350,000= |
|
|
18 |
Income from carpentry workshop |
|
3,800,000= |
|
19 |
Miscellaneous expenses (labor, travel etc) |
2,250,000= |
|
|
20 |
Revenue from animal traction project |
|
1,700,000= |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTALS |
25,460,000= |
41,210,000= |
|
|
SURPLUS |
|
1,5750,000= |
REQUESTS:
A lot still has to be done in spite of the modest achievements we have recorded in the year. The struggle continues and we therefore ask that our generous donors continue with their kind heart to continue to push our programmes forward to alleviate the suffering of humanity in the Kasese area and entire western region of Uganda.
THANKSGIVING:
We wish to thank all our donors for their selfless support. In a special way, we wish to thank NASF (Nederlands Albert Schweitzer Fonds) for the support they have given us on two occasions in one year for us to achieve our aims. We ask and pray that our partnership continues. We also thank our committed members and the community for the courage they have to serve as volunteers on the premise that they shall achieve one day in the future.