Rwenzori Rural andUrban Development organization (RUDO-UGANDA)  operates in 7  sub counties of  Bukuku, Kichwamba, Katebwa , Kabonera ,Harugongo, Karago, and  Karangura  with a network of 2- memberorganizations spread in the 7 mentionedsub counties focusing on Human rights, good governance, education, health and economic development as key focusareas.

In the month of June RUDOwith support from ToroDev visited Mahyoro P.S, Nyakitokoli P.S, MT Gessi P.S,
Nyarukamba P.S under the education sector, Nyakitokoli HCII under health sectorand under economic developmentvisited families that benefited from OperationWealth Creation program in Karangura sub county.

The main concern of thefield exercise was to know the status of service delivery in the selectedschools, health centre and in economic development programs so as to presentthe finding to duty bearers during accountability meetings and petitions andalso use the findings to lobby and advocate using physical platforms and otherICT tools like radios to improve service delivery.

As outputs, Four (4) schools, one (1)   health centre II and some families thatbenefited from operation wealth creation programs were visited also way forwardset to address the key challenges identified from the three (3) sectors.

There are some keyfindings discovered including; SMC & PTA are not all active and this hascaused poor planning, monitoring and accountability in the visited schools,Minimal absenteeism of teachers and ability to give assignment to learners andmark it. ‘’In Mahyoro p/s because we have been following them as a forum, thereis improved participation of community members in supporting schools programsbecause they have been sensitized and empowered by the radio talk shows andother platforms supported by civil society’’, said Vincent KuleRUDO-Uganda  chairperson.  There is a big gap discovered at MT Gessi P.S whereout of seven (7) members of staff non is female hence making it difficult tohandle issues of the girl child.

In Nyakitokoli HC11staff absenteeism is high, there are no enough drugs, the health unit does notreceive PHC funds to help the health unit with community program likeimmunization, there is a nurse patient ratio of 1:1000, no beds, kitchen,washing room, laboratory etc at the health centre. On operation wealth creation(OWC) plans, budgets and priorities are imposed on the farmers , the farmershave no bargaining powers , farmers do not participate  in planning processes, funds allocated and released  are notshown to farmers,extension workers do not reached farmers to equip them with farming skills ,late supply of seeds, inadequate supply and thedistribution criteria isinfluenced by politics.

 Among the outcomes, on 5th/7/2017a community engagement meeting  withlocal leaders was organized by RUDO in partnership with ToroDev and KRC wheredistrict duty bearers were hosted to address key findings discovered during thefield activity carried out by RUDO.“Weorganized a meeting and called district chairperson Kabarole, RDC, DHO, LCIIIand district and sub county councilors   to address the findingsdiscovered. We arehappy that change has already taken place for example at Nyakitokoli HCII whereold staffs were known to be off duty daily, new staffs have been brought andintroduced before the community members, construction of the road to ease movement of people and goods  and theHealth centre has been upgraded to a HC III from II”,  Said Kule Vincent forum leader.

Action plans and recommendations’
were brought up in that meeting especially supply of enough drugs tohandle the big numbers of patients who come to seek for health services at Nyakitokoli HC11, increasing incomes of community members by mobilizing them to benefit from OWC and also recruitingother health workers who can handle patients are some of the issues which RUDO forum is following up.

We take thisopportunity to thank SIDA, NED, SPIDER,
ICT4DEM, and CIPESA for the financial and technical support.