Local communities in Moroto and Napak districts have resorted to alternatives to boost education in the schools.
This follows several dialogues by the Riamiriam civil society Network under the project dubbed “Philanthropy for Development” with support from the Uganda National NGO forum that focuses on communities of practice under gender and human rights.
The communities have formed committees in each parish that help to mobilize the children and support education programs at school.
For instance in Nakamite primary school in Poron Sub County, Napak district, the community committed to construct temporal classrooms for the children who have been learning under the trees.
Tadious Loduk, a senior teacher at Lokamite Primary School acknowledged that the community has committed to support the infrastructure at the school amidst the little resources.
Loduk said that the community has so far constructed temporary classrooms using grass and mud, and cleared the roads connecting to the school.
He noted that the parents also promised to construct temporary houses for the teachers and already preparations are ongoing to have it completed by December.
Sisto Anyangan, a resident of Lokamite village in Poron Sub-county Napak district said that they have been able to transform their community without government support.
Anyangan recalled that before the empowerment project was introduced to the community, there was tribalism and conflicts since the village was hosting both Itesot and Karimojong tribes.
Anyangan said that they have now resolved their differences and are living as one community fostering peace and unity. He added that they are also working hard for the school and church that has united all of them together as one family.
He said that one of the community members had offered his land for the construction of the church close to the school to help bring them morally and spiritually.
Anyangan appealed to the government to support them with tractors to open up large fields for cultivation so they could feed their families and sell some to pay school fees for their children.
Teddy Flavia Awili, the deputy head teacher for Nadunget primary school in Moroto district noted that the education committees formed from each village helped to increase the enrollment at school following their campaigns.
Awili said that the schools used to register between 500 and 600 pupils in the previous years but due to continued mobilization of children to stay at school, the population has hit 900 for this year.
She revealed that the community has also offered land and cleared it for the school to cultivate the food used for feeding children at school.
Awili noted that the parents are now supportive and attend every meeting invited to discuss school development-related issues unlike the previous years when they could dodge and clearing school dues was a struggle.
Awili said that the committee also mobilized all the child mothers to go back to school and they enrolled seven in this year.
The committees also emphasized the communal engagements that helped them find solutions to their own problems rather than waiting for support from well-wishers and the government.
Paul Lokoru, the community development officer for Loputuk Sub County in Moroto district said that they have formed committees in every parish to help in community mobilization and sensitization on food conservation, gender-based violence, and alcoholism which are seen to ruin the lives of people.
Lokoru said that before the community dialogues, the communities used to sell every food they got both harvest and relief in exchange for alcohol which led to high rates of malnutrition in the Sub County.
Lokoru noted that the committee has also helped in preaching peace among the households which has resulted in the reduction of gender-based violence in the homes.
He observed that the vice used to be common but at least the cases have reduced except only a few that are not reported to the authorities.
Lokoru urged the communities to consider reporting the domestic violence cases so that they are settled and people live peacefully in their families.
Richard Omoding, the Executive Director of RIAMRIAM Civil Society Network, says that they have conducted a series of Community engagements to break the syndrome of depending on the donors’ support and government but instead provide solutions to their own problems.
Omoding observed that some challenges like opening of access roads, and school infrastructures stay longer without a response from the government and this is what they are focusing on to emphasize the community-led solutions for community problems.
He observed that although there is a need for government support, the communities should be able to put more of their contribution to address their issues to attract support from the government and any well-wishers.
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