Advancing Gender Justice through MenEngage Uganda Network

At the time when Mama’s Club with financial support from SIDA through Sonke Gender Justice started implementing an advocacy project on MenEngage. Uganda’s policies and plans regarding HIV&AIDS needed a review to include a stronger emphasis on targeting men and influencing gender norms. Accompanying laws and guidelines were lacking. Though SRHRs recognized engaging men as clients, they were weak in relation to involving men as partners or advocates for change and lacked budgetary allocations. Gender equality responses were contextualized to women as the only beneficiaries of a more equal society. Men as the ‘other gender’ were less counted in the context of gender equality. Men were commonly portrayed as deficient in family life ranging from not providing child support, to limited involvement in domestic chores, to the use of violence against women and children. Relentless limited skills on men’s needs among health workers, implementers and decision-makers. Poor coordination on male participation existed amongst various stakeholders and even those who were involving men in their programs were doing it by default.

To challenge this environment, MenEngage Uganda Network as efforts of Mama’s club through numerous consultative gatherings was established in recognition of the need for a stronger focus on engaging men and boys in promoting social justice, gender equality and addressing the public health challenges which Uganda faces. The network is steadily growing and now has a significant number of active member organizations who signed to the six principles of the network. This development is increasingly attracting grassroot and national level organizations working in the area of health, HIV&AIDS, GBV, feminism, LGBTI, men and boys for gender equality, academics and research, human rights, religious institutions, traditional health practitioners, SRHRs, policy makers, government officials all looking to work with men and boys. MenEngage Uganda Network members have continued to urge men to engage in EMTCT initiatives in a bid to reduce the accelerating rates of HIV&AIDS infections and GBV to promote social and gender equality.

In Uganda, increasing evidence that men and boys’ engagement is effectively addressing gender-based violence and social injustice. MenEngage Uganda Network’s quest is to build the momentum of and scale up the work with men and boys in Uganda by strengthening skills for and knowledge on working with men and boys in order to further gender transformation. The network is growing to build capacity, provide support and strengthen the network right from local to national level, and will develop the work of local organizations in engaging men and boys in SRH. 

"A Life With Income"

Ambrose Othieno

Mzee Othieno (59 Years Old) is a resident of Busembatia Town Council Zone 4 in Iganga district, takes care of his 9 children and 4 orphans. Before he received revolving loan from URAA in June 2012, he had capital of US$ 100 (UGX 250,000) which he had injected into his Bicycle Spare Parts shop. He did not have any plan of increasing the capital not until he joined Namalemba Elders Groups which helped him to access a revolving loan from URAA and increased his stock of selling bicycle spare parts at Busembatia Town Council. The business has been operational for approximately 6 years. He is grateful that as a result of the loan, there has been increased profit from his business from about UGX 250,000 (USD 100) to UGX 800,000 (US$ 320) per month. From the profits, he was able to repay his first loan and has now applied for an additional UGX 250,000 (US$ 100). Othieno is thankful for the loan supported by Sweden-Norad through URAA in partnership with HelpAge because it has enabled him to continue meeting educational needs of his orphaned 4 grandchildren (5-10 years of age which of these three are still primary classes between P.2 - P.5) such as books, pens, uniforms and paid lunch fees for them. Though he does not have any person living with HIV&AIDS, Othieno reported that he has purchased a radio which helps him to access education on HIV&AIDS, TB and business skills. He has also procured 2 goats plus 5 chickens out of the profits and that the revolving loan has also improved on his status for example he has greatly been invited to participate in community meetings organized by local councillors. He added that the profits have assisted him in accessing medication at Busembatia Health Centre III. He has also managed to continue providing 2 kilograms of sugar, 1 litre of paraffin and a bar of soap on a weekly basis to his household. Ambrose affirmed that he had never received any other source of support before he joined Namalemba Elders Group in 2011 through which he has benefited by receiving the URAA loan. His working children have also contributed a lot to the education of the orphans. Through the increased profit from his business, he has also significantly met the basic needs of his family such as food, bed sheets and clothing among others. He anticipates that if God wishes him a long live, he plans to develop his business to even UGX 5,000,000 (US$ 2,000) and educate his grandchildren up to university level.

Sulaiman Muyinda

Muyinda (60 Years Old) a resident of Busembatia Zone 4 in Iganga District is a carer of 4 orphans (2 boys and 2 girls). Before receiving a revolving loan of UGX 250,000 (US$100) from URAA his capital was between UGX 120,000 (US$ 48) and UGX 200,000 (US$ 80). Sulaiman after completing his first loan, he had applied for a second one worth UGX 500,000 (US$ 200) which he believes will increase on his stock. He reported that ever since he received the loan, he consistently attends to over 50 customers in a day. From the profits, he has managed to buy books, uniforms and mathematical sets for his school going orphans. He added that not only these but also affords a kilogram of sugar every day, medication at Nsinze Health Center IV and soap for his family. He appreciates URAA’s support through Namalemba Elders Group and that he is now constructing a two roomed rental house within Busembatia Town Council, a house that will generate a monthly income worth UGX 300,000 (US$ 120) per month. He has also bought two goats out of the savings and he has a plan of buying a cow which will provide milk for his family and also make an income of UGX 25,000 (US$ 10) per week. He noted that community members respect him and that this has attributed much to his participation in community meetings (poverty reduction, HIV&AIDS awareness and security meetings) where his views have been accepted as an OP. He is very grateful to URAA loan. He has also adopted a saving culture where he saves UGX 40,000 (US$ 16) monthly. He also joined Buswiga Development Association which is a saving group for all categories of people including older people, women, PWDs and Youths. He is further thankful to URAA loan where he noted that right now his capital is UGX 2,500,000 (US$ 1,000) and his big plan is to accomplish his rental house and continue to educate his orphans up to college level.

Namusubo Sarah Kakaire

Namusubo (59 Years Old) is a resident of Busembatia Town Council Zone 2 in Iganga District. Sarah takes care of 6 orphans (2 of whom are in a government school and the other 4 in a private school) and that she has provided scholastic materials for them such as books, pens, uniforms, shoes and has greatly paid their school fees and lunch fees. Namusubo before requesting for a revolving loan from URAA, she had a poultry project of local birds. She applied for the first loan worth UGX 250,000 (US$ 100) of which she injected into her project and has successfully completed the loan repayment. She reported that by using the benefits from the loan, she successfully bought 8 goats, 2 sheep and has consistently met basic needs for her family including food, clothing, medication, paraffin, soap and sugar. She has improved on her diet by at least affording a cup of milk on a daily basis. She joined a Community Self-help Group such as “Niigina” which gives members materials like Chicken, Gomesi, Sugar and Rice among others), she also joined a Village Savings and Loan Scheme (VSLS) which every Saturday in a week she saves UGX 5,000 (US$ 2). The VSLS has over 80 members and that the group savings box is opened once in a year. Sarah happily reported that she expects to earn UGX 500,000 (US$ 200) at the end of this year. She also noted that she even bought a bicycle out of the profits of the URAA loan which she uses for domestic work such as carrying food from the garden, carrying water from the well and also for her transportation to the health center when sick. Namusubo also reported that every month her income is UGX 100,000 (US$ 40) and that her capital has now increased from UGX 500,000 (US$ 200) to UGX 800,000 (US$ 320). She has a plan of buying ducks, stronger doors and net wires for security and safety of her birds. Kakaire added that the other plan is to bring a water tap which will provide safe and clean water for her family and also generate monthly income of about UGX 200,000 (US$ 80). She affirmed that all these will contribute a lot to education of her grandchildren up to university level because she hopes for a better future for them.

------End------

Developing Resilient Communities

Posted by Monja

At the launch of AFR605 project in Iganga District, OPs and THPs were working in isolation, were uncoordinated while those working in groups were fragmented and disorganized. At project inception URAA in partnership with Namalemba Elders Group (NEG) did an environment scanning and the findings included: group tasks not being completed according to their work plans; ideas were not thoroughly discussed to take forward groups; group members not contributing and were referred to as ‘docile members’; there was ineffective communication between and among group members on the progress of groups work; there existed conflicts between group members over leadership and domineering personalities; and inability to focus on groups tasks.

With AFR605 project, URAA in partnership with NEG, conducted skills development trainings in group formation and management which focused on good governance and accountability, record keeping, evidence based advocacy, resource mobilization, organization systems strengthening, project management and conflict management among others. Succeeding the skills development training indications are that 105 groups of about 30 members each have been formed which adds up to 3,150 members in all the groups. The groups have been registered at both sub-county and district levels. They maintain records, executive committees have been elected and constitutions developed among key indicators of progress.  

It is evident that 10 Savings and Credit Schemes with membership of 300 people have been formed by OPs and THPs while others joining existing ones. These Schemes formalized engagements of people united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. Membership is open to people able to use their services and willing to accept the conditions, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination. Members contribute equitably and democratically control the capital of their schemes. The savings have enabled groups to build an asset base and a capitalization fund: Credit accessed has been used by the members to boost their small scale IGAs, at group level the activities have built cohesion and promoted unity of purpose. This is evidenced by holding regular meetings, group loan approval and have charted out plans for other group activities.

Working in formal groups OPs have demanded for services which resulted into recognition, as 839 OPs (302 males and 537 females) have reported increased access to poverty reduction programmes, specifically 298 OPs have accessed NAADS - a capacity building and advisory service programme which builds the capacity of farmers working in groups to adopt improved agronomic practices through demonstration of the technologies by the community. As a result OPs have received inputs for food security interventions which include planting materials for beans, maize and cassava. Others have received heifers, goats and pigs. Reports on this support indicate a boost in incomes which enabled them to meet basic needs like clothing, medication and increased participation in community activities.

Similarly 541 OPs have benefited from CDD, which financed their community initiatives and has supported them to boast their incomes. This approach has given OPs direct control over planning, decision making and investment resources for local development projects to community groups including OP.  OP reported that social capital created by the CDD approach has enabled them seek for more support and advocate for better services.