Mwananchi Uganda

Mwananchi Uganda annual report 2012

Mwananchi — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:36:21 +0000

Mwananchi Uganda is pleased to present its Annual Report for 2011-2012. The report reviews the main activities and achievements during the year, and learning from the programme and some of the innovative projects that are funded.

The annual report also includes several short stories about emerging impact from Mwananchi's interventions to strengthen voice and accountability in Uganda, including:

In Miiyra sub-country, Mwananchi's partner, Masindi District NGO Forum, has been workign with local people to increase accountability in local health services. As a result of presenting evidence from public expendidture tracking, the forum was able to convince local officials to conduct spot checks on health centres, resulting in better service for local people.
Community-based informal justice courts in Kibaale are speeding up poor peoples' access to justice by providing fair and open decisions at a low cost.

Read the annual report here

Inter-cultural dialogue: clan leaders learn from each other in Uganda

Mwananchi — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 09:37:58 +0000

Often barriers and stereotypes are created because of limited knowledge and exposure to that which is different. Mwananchi grantee, Cross-cultural Forum Uganda, sponsored Chief Ombidi to visit his fellow clan leaders in a remote part of the country - an experience that was quite an eye opener.

Networks and coalitions flock together

Mwananchi — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:59:03 +0000

Like the Crested Crane, one of the most beautiful birds found in Uganda, networks and coalitions beautify the Civil Society landscape. Like birds of the same feathers, the networks and coalitions flock and dance together. This is even reflected in the grantees that are part of the Mwananchi programme in the East African country. In a sense the country’s history has acted as a magnet that has brought most Civil Society Organisations together and with it the realisation that there is strength in numbers. For example, it has been learnt in Uganda that when engaging policy makers it was better to approach them as a coalition than as individual organisations. In this respect the ‘community of practice’ concept of the Mwananchi programme can easily find a nest on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Of the grantees that have been selected so far, the elements of networking and coalitions are even visible within their names, for example ‘forum’ and ‘network.’ Working together brings broad support for proposed changes to laws, policies, service delivery and also helps to deepen proposed solutions to problems and issues common to good governance, not to mention the saving of money, time, improved coordination and better understanding of issues. Equally significant is that the grantees work is linked to specific districts as the names also suggest. On the issues raised by the projects one sees community development, accountability, budget tracking, improved health delivery and better education.

The grantees and their project titles are as follows:

Community Development and Child Welfare Initiatives: Increased number of people benefitting from the community Driven Development Programme (CDD)
Forum for Women in Development: Enhance the capacity of grassroots communities to demand for accountability
Lira NGO Forum: Reduction of public funds in Universal Primary Education schools in Lira sub-county
World Voices Uganda: Mwananchi Justice Agenda Project
Kalangala NGO Forum: Promoting citizens’ engagement to improving maternal health service delivery in Bujumba sub-county
Masindi District Education Network: Improved learners performance in Masindi Primary Schools
Kibaale Civil Society Network: Enhancing community participation and community monitoring of community development programme.