Empower AIDS Widows - Save a Community

Progressive report for Empower AIDS widows- Save Community

Year Ending 2015

By Onyango Joseph – Executive Director RARUDO

I take this moment to extend our gratitude and also appreciate all our partners for the financial contribution to support the projects initiated by Rayland Rural Development Organisation which have been the commitment of the members of rural communities, Local leaders and development partners local and International.

We are grateful  for the support and involvement of all our friends, donors and partners, particularly The River Fund  and GlobalGiving among other for continuous effort that has contributed to wellbeing and hope for the bright future of these vulnerable population mostly  women  and children in Tororo, Busia and Bugiri districts.

As we end the year, The project Empower Aids widows –Save a community mainly focused on activities that are sustainable and viable for the needy community in rural setting, that can be easily adopted in day today living.

The Activities include these categories:-

1. Agriculture - crop production and vegetable growing.
   Women engaged in the production of crops in this end of year season since we have had a lot of rain and some places some crops were washed away by rushing floods.
   Among the crops in: - Tororo, the women harvested a total 1,600 kg of maize and 450 kgs of beans. Busia they harvested 800 kgs of maize and 300 kgs of soya beans and in Bugiri they got 965 kgs of maize and 210 kgs of beans.
   
   
2. Micro credit and saving- adopted and practice a saving culture and provide micro-loans.

In adopting the culture of savings, women are practising this as part of the activities to improve their income and sustainably enhance their economic activities at grass root levels.

These women meet once every week to do the savings and later lend each other some small monies to help them come out poverty and also add value to their daily living.

Project funding that we received last quarter strengthened the capacity of the women to effectively implement their owned and managed activities. The project beneficiaries in the rural setting mainly earn their living through subsistence farming and aid. However the groups have very many responsibilities and many dependants to take care of thus necessitates more income at household levels.

Achievements:

This has benefited directly and indirectly many of the following number of women and their families per district. Tororo Directly 144 women, indirectly 720 persons, Busia directly 121, indirectly 605 persons and Bugiri directly 56 indirectly 280 persons

Through the support most women are improving their activities; such as poultry or fish farming

The project justification is in line with current development plans of Uganda such as Plan for Modernisation Agriculture (PMA) which puts into consideration pillars like increasing incomes and quality of life for the disadvantaged groups of widows and orphans and child headed households.

The project improves the livelihood skills and knowledge of the poor group members to ensure independence and sustainability.

This will be through the availability of agricultural revolving fund, constant training, sensitization, on farm implements and use of better strategies to undertake the project activities.

I give  my sincere regards to all our donors at GlobalGiving, The River Fund, Uganda government , local leaders and all well wishers for supporting our cause of bringing  hope to the vulnerable community we serve most especially the young generations.

I remain yours faithfully,

Onyango Joseph
Executive Director
RARUDO