A Rocha Uganda Initiative News Update - November 2008

1.  The new field house

Since 9th November 2008 we have been renting a small building in the village of Namungoona.  This facility serves as a residential base for two team members, an office, a store for field equipment, a meeting place for volunteers and a point of contact for local churches and communities.

Some of the challenges include finding furniture to create work stations, computers and general office equipment. We are in the furnishing process.

We now have a telephone landline + 256 414 66 38 75.

2.  WASH project   

On the 3rd of November 2008, rehabilitation works at Ssentamu spring started and we expect to complete it in the second week of December. This will also be our Christmas gift - access to safe clean water to the women and children of Namungoona. Community members showed support in the form of manual labour when they de-silted the drainage channels of the streams.

On Sunday 23rd Nov 2008 the local council leaders mobilised a large community meeting attended by 71 people. During that meeting we talked about A Rocha’s work and they pledged their support.

3.  Wetland Advocacy campaign

We are working with churches and different groups in the community to lay a strategy for the wetland conservation. Although it is an uphill task we are excited at the possibility of protecting the remaining piece of wetland. One of the biggest challenges is that locals do not seem to see the importance and value of having the wetland in their area. So we’ve got to raise awareness in a simple way and build connections for people to understand the ecological dynamics. So far, the area local councils and group leaders are engaged in our discussions.   

4.  Partnerships

We are working tirelessly to partner with some government bodies and although there is bureaucracy to endure, we shall soon be reporting good news. We consider this step important for a number of reasons, but most especially because in the long term we shall be in need of their support. 

5.  Gulu

Anna of Africa Recycles told Alfred Odong of Seeds of Hope Foundation (an organisation based in Gulu, northern Uganda) about our Initiative Group. Alfred visited our field house and during his one day stay, we had discussions about a proposal on climate change adaptability strategies in Gulu and the restoration of degraded habitats in the areas outside the internally displaced people (IDP) camps.