The meeting was held on 21/ Feb/2018  with a purpose of sharing experience and challenges as CSOs working in the district but also presenting monthly MML reports generated through ToroDev’s initiated online platform called ‘Me and My Leader’ (MML) e-participation system. the reports focused on the 3 main sectors of health, education and economic development. More  discussions focused on achievements of the district for 2017, understanding the roles of the district NGO committee, how they operate, highlights of the current NGO Act and challenges affecting CSOs in Kyenjojo district and how can they be jointly dealt with.

The meeting was attended by  Fifty two (52)   participants including; deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Deputy district chairperson, Heads of departments, district speaker,  district planner,  9 community development officers, 20  CSO’s representatives  and the media.

while sharing the MML reports for December 2017 and January 2018, David Kugonza the Strategic partnership and communications officer ToroDev said people of Kyenjonjo through Sms platform sent many service delivery issues through our initiated ‘Me and My Leader’ (MML) e-participation platform. He said among the issues raised was lack of drugs at Kataraza HC II and yet staff were recruited and are being paid monthly yet the health facility was not functioning, they request for the elevation of the facility to HC III so that improved health services can be received, absenteeism of teachers and pupils, absenteeism of health workers, early marriages, increased school dropout, understaffing in some schools, lack of safe and clean water in some sub counties like Kyarusozi, increased environment degradation, etc. David said we present these issues today in this fora such that duty bearers present can take note of then and provide a solution so that our people can have improved services in communities. David further said some of the issues that need joint advocacy can be dealt with in our programming as CSOs and the district can cater for them in the district work plans.

Key issues shared during the meeting

“I thank ToroDev for organizing this coordination meeting with an aim of  bringing us together as district local government and CSOs for proper planning purposes. From this meeting I expect us to come out with way forward and solutions to key issues raised through MML e-participation system”. Said  Madam Kajumba Enid the Deputy chief administrative officer Kyenjojo district. Enid further said, I request CSOs to share their reports and work plans to help us understand what roles each CSOs plays and to help us report to different departments at national level.

“The  education sector still  faces some key challenges that need joint efforts  to address them. These include;  limited support to learners from their parents, late coming of learners, lack of scholastic materials, early pregnancies, lack of latrines,  lack of staff quarters, lack of enough furniture’s , under staffing, absenteeism of teachears and learners, etc . I call upon CSOs to join hand and support us to address some of these challenges”. Said  Miss Tibakanya Gertrude the District Education Officer (DEO) Kyenjojo District.

“I call upon CSOs to partner with us to address some challenges affecting the health sector, as a department we request CSOs to support us in monitoring services like monitoring drugs and health workers & support us in infrastructure development among others.  Other challenges that need to be addressed jointly include; drug stock outs, absenteeism of health workers & lack of staff quarters among others, these need joint advocacy and lobbying which we can all do”. Said Dr Tusiime Charles, District Health Officer (DHO) Kyenjojo district.

“This is a good opportunity to plan together as Local government and CSOs, I request CSOs to continue partnering with us to address some of the challenges identified in the education, health and economic development to see there is touchable change in service delivery, I thank ToroDev for developing MML e- participation system which will help us get to know what people are saying and plan according to their priority needs”. Said Hon. Agaba Emmanuel the vice chairperson,Kyenjojo district.

The district vice chairperson urged the technical team at the district to task the RDC to deal with people encroaching on the environmental especially those degrading wetlands in the district.

Output:

• Fifty two (52 ) participants attended and these include; DHO, DEO, Production officer, DCDO, ACAO, District speaker, District Planer, heads of departments, secretaries for health, education, production, natural resources, media and Twenty (20) representatives of NGO’s/ CBO’s operating in Kyenjojo district
• MML e-participation system promoted and the report for the month of December 2017 and January 2018 specifically focusing on the key issues raised by citizens from  Kyenjojo district shared for duty bearers to pay attention and  provide solution and way forward
• NGO’s/CBOs had joint planning with district local government on how to address key issues raised through the system

 Outcomes  

    1. lack of drugs at Kataraza HC II in Bufunjo sub county yet health workers are paid but there is no work they           are doing at the health facility. The District health officer (DHO) Kyenjojo pledged to address this challenge                 without fail in the next financial year which begins July 2018 and showed it that they are in the final stages with          the ministry of health to elevate the health facility from HC II to HC III so that it can provide improved health               services to the people in Bufunjo sub county.

   2. Lack of proper monitoring of government schools by duty bearers, which has caused a lot of                          absenteeism among the teachers and leaner’s. The District education officer pledged to do joint monitoring with         CSOs, advocacy forums and community members effective next quarter of the financial year that starts in April             2014.

   3. Twenty (20) CSOs pledged to support the district local government to address some challenges             raised through MML e-participation system like finding a solution for early pregnancies, late coming of              health workers, under staffing in schools and health workers, lack of regular supervision in schools and health             units, poor performance in UPE schools, lack of parental support to children in schools, sensitizing people who            have encroached on wetlands, etc to advocate for better service delivery in the district.

• Civil Society Organizations and all district officials in the meeting appreciated ToroDev for initiating MML e-participation system and pledged to use it and promote it during their daily work.
• The meeting was broadcast live on two radio stations in Kyenjojo district and on TV west on 22nd. Feb/ 2018 at 12:00PM.

Action plan.

1. Local government and CSOs to do joint monitoring of schools and health workers. The district Health & Education department , CSOs & ToroDev will take a lead beginning March 2018.
2. CSOs to share quarterly reports with district planner , NGO forum will follow up the CSOs beginning April 2018
3. CSOs to do Joint fundraising to raise more funds to address challenges raised by health and education departments  NGO forum and ToroDev will take a lead beginning March 2018
4. Joint efforts to sensitize  parents to keep their girls in school, NGO forum and God’ care will take a lead by  April 2018

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