Uffca progress report to marps

Social Mobilisation for Increased Uptake of HIV and AIDS services in Fishing Communities

1 UFFCA-MARPs HIV/AIDS Partnership014

Social Mobilisation for Increased Uptake of Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Services in Fishing Communities

(DANIDA Supported MARPs NETWORK-UFFCA Partnership for

HIV/AIDS Response in Fishing Communities)

July, 2014

Progress Report by:

Uganda Fisheries and Fish Conservation Association (UFFCA) Kamwokya Off Kiira Road, Plot No. 1601/1247 Biika House, 2nd Fllor Suite No. 2; P.O. Box 11516 Kampala, UGANDA

Email: [email protected]



Results of the Community Score Card Processes with Stakeholders and Leaders of District Local Governments of Buliisa and Kasese - July, 2014



Table of Contents

List of Acronyms……………………………..........………………………………..…….………….4

1.0 Introduction………………………………………….……………………………………….5

1.1 Report Review………………………………………...........……………..……………..6

2.0 Planned Activities…………………………………………………..……………….………7

3.0 Processes and Key Achievements…………………………………..………………….7

3.1 Interface with the district leadership………………..………………………………….7 3.2 Social Mobilisation…………………………………………………………………………..8

3.3 Community and Sub-county Interactive Dialogues……………….…………………9

3.3.1 Community level consultative meetings…………………….……………..…10

3.3.2 Sub-county level consultative meetings………………………………………12 3.4 District stakeholders’ engagement workshops………………………………...………13 3.5 Outcomes of the district stakeholders’ workshops……………………………………14 3.6 Structure of the district stakeholders’ workshops……………………………….…..15

3.6.1 Messages/statements made by key district leaders and UFFCA…………15 3.6.2 Presentation of the baseline report by UFFCA..……………….………………16 3.6.3 Group discussions and plenary sessions……………….………………………22 3.6.4 Adoption of the Action Plan………………………………………………………..24 3.6.5 Closing remarks………………………………………………..………………….…24

4.0 Comments………………………………………………………………..…………..….….26

5.0 Challenges and Lessons Learnt………………………….……………………….……28

6.0 Recommendations………………………………………………………….……………..29

7.0 Planned and Pending Activities………………………….…………….…….……….30

8.0 Appendixes………………………………………………………………….….……………31



List of Acronyms:

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome BMU Beach Management Unit CAO Chief Administrative Officer CDO Community Development Officer

CSC Community Scorecard

CSO Civil Society Organisation

DANIDA Danish International Development Agency DISO District Internal Security Officer DPC District Police Commander HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus LC Local council

MARPs Most at Risk Populations

NGO Non-government Organisation

NSP National HIV&AIDS Strategic Plan

RDC Resident District Commissioner UFFCA Uganda Fisheries and Fish Conservation Association VHTs Village Health Teams



1.0 INTRODUCTION

“The Social Mobilisation for Increased Uptake of Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Services in Fishing Communities”, is an initiative being implemented by the Uganda Fisheries and Fish Conservation Association (UFFCA) an advocacy and development oriented national NGO working in the fisheries sub-sector, and working in partnership with the MARPs Network, a national HIV/AIDS civil society organisation representing the interests of the most-at-risk / key populations including fishing communities in Uganda. The joint UFFCA and MARPs HIV/AIDS response is supported with funding from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). In line with the specific NSP strategic objective and priority areas of action for scaling up coverage and increasing universal access to quality comprehensive HIV services, the overall objective of this joint UFFCA and MARPs HIV/AIDS response initiative is strategically designed to effectively contribute to achieving the goals of the NSP by working towards reducing new HIV infections and mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS on poor, vulnerable and marginalised fishing communities living around the shores of Lakes Victoria, Albert, Kyoga,George and Edward, and in particular; the selected districts of Kasese, Buliiisa, Hoima, Buvuma, Amolatar and Wakiso. As an integral part of UFFCA’s HIV/AIDS prevention programme in fishing communities across the country, UFFCA aims to stimulate increased engagement of the poor and hard to reach fishing communities, (the people we represent and serve), as well as the involvement of other potential partners including duty bearers at national, district and sub-county levels to ensure - effective delivery of comprehensive and quality HIV and AIDS services to benefit the poor, vulnerable and underserved fishing communities.

In an effort to achieve increased delivery of quality and comprehensive HIV and AIDS services in fishing communities, the following strategies were developed to spearhead a bottom-up process for augmenting key players and stakeholders in addressing social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery in the hard to reach and poor, vulnerable and marginalised fishing communities. The participatory strategies embraced by the partnership between UFFCA and MARPs Network HIV response initiative include among others the following:

1) Social mobilisation for increased cohesion and collective action against HIV and AIDS in fishing communities and stakeholders at sub-county and district levels.

2) Promoting grassroots self-advocacy and generating informed discussions through village level interactive and community dialogues.

3) Linkage and partnership with Local Government health service providers and stakeholders’ involvement through engagement and roundtable dialogues.

4) Use of community score card (CSC) in monitoring and evaluating performance of duty bearers in the delivery of social, healthcare and HIV services.

5) Undertake participatory HIV and AIDS action research to inform evidence-based advocacy for policy and practice change in HIV and AIDS service delivery paradigm in fishing communities.



1.1 REPORT OVERVIEW The implementation of the activities planned under the joint HIV and AIDS response initiative started from 30th June – 16th July, 2014 as soon as funds were received by UFFCA from the MARPs Network secretariat. Quite a number of strategic activities were undertaken by UFFCA in the two target districts of Buliisa and Kasese, and various achievements, challenges and lessons learnt/recommendations were realized. This report therefore, documents the implementation processes based on the different achievements, which among others include;

(i) Consultative and engagement meetings were held together with grassroots communities focusing on social, Healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery gaps in a total of 12 fishing villages including 1 fish market of Mpondwe in Kasese and Buliisa districts respectively; (ii) Conducted over 8 consultative meetings together with sub-county leaders to assess social, Healthcare and HIV/AIDS services delivery gaps in Buliisa and Kasese districts;

(iii) Conducted 2 district level stakeholders engagement and joint assessment meetings on the performance of duty bearers in the delivery of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS and other related services.

Participants listening to presentations during the HIV/AIDS dialogue workshop

Conducted by UFFCA in Buliisa District



2.0 PLANNED ACTIVITIES During the period under review, strategic activities planned for implementation included the following;

• Interface with the district local government political, administrative and technical leadership

• Social mobilization of community members and peer leaders directly influencing local policy and practices.

• Interactive village meetings with fishing community members to assess the level of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery in Buliisa and Kasese districts.

• Organizing and conducting sub-county and parish level leaders’ consultative meetings to assess the level of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery in Buliisa and Kasese districts.

• Administering the community score card (CSC) methodology with district level leaders and stakeholders including community peer leaders to jointly assess the degree of performance in the delivery of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS services in Buliisa and Kasese districts respectively.

3.0 PROCESSES AND KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: The implementation process of activities planned under the joint UFFCA and MARPs Network joint HIV/AIDS intervention efforts; was strategically structured with the aim to generate adequate bottom-up discussions and involvement of all key decision makers and beneficiaries at all levels so as to impact and realise a paradigm shift in the delivery of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS services in fishing communities. The strategy further enhanced and enabled the voiceless to speak out, demand and seek entitlements from duty bearers while at the same time enabling duty bearers to appreciate their duty bound obligations as leaders. The direct participation and involvement of relevant stakeholders in decision-making, planning and in the implementation process of the programme activities was the hallmark of the joint HIV/AIDS response in the two target districts of Buliisa and Kasese respectively. The participatory planning strategy strengthened ownership of the parties of all the planning process and implementation of activities which ultimately created a sense of belonging and partnership between the district, communities and UFFCA.

3.1 Interface with the district leadership:

As a key strategy for building a common ground between UFFCA and the district leadership, UFFCA first established contact with key district leadership and in this case with the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in the two target districts of Buliisa and Kasese respectively. This process was instrumental in building rapport with key players in the target districts in which we effectively engaged a wide range of high profile leaders such as; LCVs, RDCs, DISOs, and DPCs including district departmental heads. The main goal was to ensure that every key player in the district is on the same wavelength to enable UFFCA effectively implement planned activities unabated. In the long run, UFFCA was able to build a sustainable relationship of mutual trust, respect, harmony and understanding throughout the program implementation period.



Ultimately, we managed to: communicate the goals of the UFFCA-MARPs HIV/AIDS prevention initiative; created a positive work environment; and jointly with district leaders defined roles, responsibilities and agreed on specific objectives to accomplish over the planned period. In a nutshell, the process facilitated UFFCA to establish a basis for mutual partnership in the delivery of all planned activities which guaranteed progress on the set targets of the programme.

3.2 Social mobilization:

UFFCA extensively mobilized community members including stakeholders at all levels with the aim to effectively engage and motivate a wide range of key players and the full participation of the deprived and underserved community members to raise awareness of and demand for social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS services through face-to-face interactive dialogues conducted at the fishing village level, and with leaders at the district, sub-county including involvement of peer leaders. It was strategically planned that institutions, community members, civic and peer leaders must be engaged in a coordinated way to reach specific groups of people incharge of making decisions for an interactive dialogue with planned messages incorporated in a baseline report.

In other words, UFFCA carried out social mobilization to facilitate an informed-process that would galvanise a range of players to appreciate and in an interrelated and complementary manner as partners augment and redirect their combined effort towards an extended fight against HIV and AIDS in fishing communities.

Kabolwa fishing village community members in one of the HIV/AIDS and service delivery interactive dialogue meeting conducted by UFFCA in Buliisa district.



3.3 Community and sub-county Interactive dialogues:

The Community based interactive dialogue meetings provided an ideal environment to constructively engage community members to appreciate a participatory process for assessing the performance of their leaders in terms of service delivery. During these grassroots meetings, community members were helped to generate information based on specific services particularly education, health and HIV/AIDS, fisheries, leadership and governance including security. The process involved:

• Convening of community members in specific fishing villages into one or more focus groups to constructively solicit their views.

• Engaging community members and peer leaders to identify delivery challenges /obstacles and causes of such challenges, responsible providers/key players including recommendation for performance/quality of the service in question.

• Engaging community members to assess service delivery performance and provide their own suggestion as to why such services were not adequately delivered.

• Constructively engaging Community members and peer leaders to provide alternatives and suggestions on how to improve service delivery.

These interactive dialogues provided communities with opportunity to speak out, and demand entitlements. Ultimately, the process greatly empowered community members to further voice their opinion and demand improved service delivery.

A joint sub-county leaders and community representatives dialogue meeting

on HIV/AIDS and service delivery held at Butiaba fishing village, Buliisa district



3.3.1 Community level consultative meetings:

The main objective of the community meetings was to enable local fishing communities and their leaders to voice and express how they perceived the level of performance of duty bearers in the delivery of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS services in their localities, and to also determine what they thought should be done about the widening gap in the delivery of services on the ground. Their views would be presented at the subsequent district level stakeholders’ engagement workshops.

The process and strategy of holding grassroots community meetings at the level of fishing villages/beaches before the district level stakeholders engagement workshops were held, enabled UFFCA to achieve the following intermediate results;

• Interfaced, explained and informed community members and peer leaders about the strategic objectives of the UFFCA and MARPs Network HIV/AIDS prevention initiative in the target districts of Buliisa, Kasese and other districts.

• Sensitized community members including peer leaders about the goals of UFFCA and those of the MARPs Network and their corresponding national positions in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

• Directly engaged grassroots communities and peer leaders for collective action against HIV and AIDS and shared information on the national level strategies for working towards the reduction of new HIV infections and AIDS.

A joint peer leaders, LCs, BMUs, VHTs and community members dialogue session

conducted by UFFCA on HIV/AIDS held at Bugoigo Community hall, Buliisa



• Collection of the whole set of findings providing a comprehensive insight into the views, opinions and experiences of the fishing communities on accessing of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS services, and further identified delivery challenges /obstacles encountered by both Buliisa and Kasese districts. One of the concrete outputs of these grassroots interactive dialogues was the compilation of the Baseline Report on Challenges facing fishing communities, fish traders and the wider community in the two districts of Buliisa and Kasese respectively.

Moreover, the anticipated impact on the district level advocacy initiative for people’s interest and demand for entitlements was launched by the presentation of these process accomplishments (Baseline report) which provided a strong foundation for an informed and sustained engagement of leaders during the district level stakeholders’ dialogue sessions and workshops.

The status and impact of each community level meetings on the district level policy-makers and technical heads was raised and their legitimacy was strongly enhanced by the involvement and active participation of community representatives at the district level space. Therefore, by holding a series of community interactive dialogues and consultative meetings at grassroots level provided a strong foundation whose outcomes translated into an important voice for the community at the district level.

A community member contributes to discussions during a HIV/AIDS and social service delivery interactive dialogue meeting held at Karakaba (Songalendu) fishing village,

Buliisa district.



3.3.2 Sub-county level consultative meetings

In an effort to further build and strengthen the case for an effective score card process, the UFFCA team increasingly engaged key players and beneficiaries at all levels with the aim to make a comprehensive groundwork on issues relevant to the interests and needs of the right holders i.e beneficiary communities. Specifically, the dialogue meetings at the sub-county level facilitated a cross-sectional and in-depth discussion on the overall social service delivery landscape with a focus on the following:

• The subject and scope of the assessment using the community scorecard methodology / tool (e.g. health provision for pregnant women in a specific district).

• Carrying out preliminary findings regarding current inputs, entitlements, level of access and usage etc.

• Identifying people within the target fishing villages that can effectively represent and witness the scorecard processes at the district level dialogue session.

• Conducting an awareness campaign to inform sub-county leaders about the purpose and benefits of the Community Score Card (CSC).

• Sensitising and educating sub-county leaders on the ongoing effort with HIV and AIDS prevention interventions.

A Group photo of Bwera Lubhiriha Councillors after a dialogue session on HIV/AIDS and social service delivery held at the council offices at Bwera TC, Kasese district.



In general, consultations at sub-county level were aimed at making leaders aware of, and reflect on their governance and developmental mandates with regard to service delivery to their communities and the reality of HIV/AIDS service delivery on the ground, and what they think should be done about closing the widening service delivery gap. The dialogue meetings in which the sub-county leaders were effectively involved included both the political and technical/departmental heads. All the views generated at this level provided a strong foundation upon which the district level stakeholders’ dialogue workshop was conducted. Specifically, sub-county leaders were expected to give their views on the prevailing social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery situations in the sub-counties. Their views were captured and presented in a baseline report during the district level stakeholders’ workshops.

3.4 District stakeholders’ engagement workshops:

The main objective of holding district level stakeholders’ workshops was to provide fora for community members, their local leaders ( parish, sub-county and district political and technical leaders) and CSOs representatives to assess the level of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery in their districts and localities. These workshops were attended by over 60 participants including representatives from fishing communities, NGOs, CDOs, health workers, local leaders and technical heads from sub-counties and districts, security operatives (police, internal security personnel) and the RDC’s office from respective districts.

A representative of the DPC making contributions during a district level dialogue Session/workshop on HIV/AIDS and service delivery held at BDLG hall, Buliisa



3.5 Outcomes of the district stakeholders’ engagement workshops

In-depth analysis and consideration of community concerns expressed at district stakeholders engagement workshops resulted in;

• Report of the findings from the community consultative process providing a comprehensive insight into the views and experiences of fishing communities on social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery situations in their respective areas.(See Appendix……..)

• A tripartite dialogue session was conducted at the district level and this brought together a diverse section of stakeholders including political leaders and with full participation of community members i.e Elders, women, youth and representatives from police, and the RDC’s office provided an ideal mix of key players engaged with decision making to critically refocus around HIV/AIDS and other social issues generally affecting community members.

The Executive Director UFFCA – Mr. Kamuturaki Seremos addressing participants during the HIV/AIDS dialogue session/workshop held at the BDLG hall, Buliisa

• Stakeholders and duty bearers educated, and gained knowledge and benefitted from access to relevant HIV/AIDS information, and learnt a lot about the medium and long term impact of not taking keen interest and action in the fight against HIV/AIDS.



• All parties present unanimously adopted a time bound Action plan on practical suggestions and activities to be undertaken by specified duty borers in order to reach fulfillment of fishing communities’ healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery needs including a proactive response to other social services.

. A member of the Buliisa district health department making a presentation of group II score card during a HIV/AIDS and service delivery dialogue session

/workshop held at BDLG hall, Buliisa district.

Therefore this report with recommendations should serve the purpose of increasing awareness of policy-makers and technical heads, engage them in the attainment of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service needs identified and sought for by local communities, and foster the establishment of tighter links between HIV/AIDS and poverty concerns in fishing communities. (See Appendix……..)

3.6 Structure of the district stakeholders’ workshops:

The structure of the workshop was designed to ensure the prominence of the voices of the local community and their leaders. The workshops lasted for one day per target district and were divided into five sessions as defined below.

(i) Messages/statements made by key district leaders and UFFCA

The morning session started with making statements/messages regarding the workshop which included among others welcoming and introductory/opening remarks by the representatives of the RDC and CAO. The information provided by UFFCA to participants highlighted on the work of the two organisations; UFFCA and MARPs Network, and the launching of the MARPs Network-UFFCA partnership on HIV/AIDS



response initiative. The aim of this session was to highlight and update participants on the existing and on-going HIV/AIDS prevention efforts and interventions undertaken by the different actors (i.e government -public and private service providers including CSOs/NGOs) at national, district and community levels.

Specifically, participants were informed that the two partner organisations i.e UFFCA and MARPs Network; were nationally recognised as strategic non-state actors/players in the drive towards the realisation of the overarching goals of the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Strategy (NPS) 2011/12 – 2014/15). Particularly in scaling up coverage and ensuring universal access to quality comprehensive HIV/AIDS services, and working to reduce new HIV infections and AIDS in fishing communities.

A representative from Biiso Sub-county making a plenary presentation of the group III

scorecard on HIV/AIDS and Service delivery during a district level dialogue session/workshop held at BDLG hall, Buliisa

(ii) Presentation of the findings (baseline report) from the sub-county & community interactive dialogue processes conducted by UFFCA

This presentation was made with the view to providing grassroots evidence for informing participants, and outlining key highlights on social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery gaps experienced among fishing communities. Furthermore, it was aimed at contributing to the body of information for making decisions and voicing out of community concerns, and demand for increased social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery to benefit the wider community in the district.



In a nutshell, the presentation of the baseline findings was intended to bridge the information gap and stimulate informed discussions, promote self-advocacy and facilitate stakeholder engagement around the concerns of the grassroots communities.

Key grassroots issues documented and presented in the baseline findings report include among others the following:

a) A lack of reliable healthcare and limited/or no access to comprehensive and quality HIV/AIDS services (e.g HCT, ART/ARV, CD4, condoms and others) in most fishing villages is further compounded by the absence of HIV/AIDS service accredited health facilities e.g HC III’s. This state of affairs exacerbates the disease burden in these poor, vulnerable and marginalized fishing communities, and is therefore directly responsible for increasing cases of new HIV infections and AIDS as many people are not aware of their HIV status thus unknowingly catch the virus, pass it on and the infection cycle continues unabated.

b) High levels of poverty and unemployment leading to a shift in traditional gender roles where women in fishing communities on Lake Albert spend all nights out fishing to subsidise household incomes which has resulted into a vicious cycle of promiscuity, infidelity and increased HIV incidence among couples and the wider community; particularly womenfolk among fishing communities continue to post high HIV prevalence rates as recorded by health workers at Biiso HCIII.

A member of the Buliisa district political leadership making a presentation of group I

score card during a HIV/AIDS and service delivery dialogue session/workshop held at BDLG hall, Buliisa district.



c) The presence of a parallel Ministerial taskforce enforcing fisheries rules and regulations; appointed by the Hon. Minister of State for Fisheries (MAAIF), was causing widespread mayhem and a lot of conflict in the effective management of the fisheries sub-sector in general. It was discovered and noted that the Ministerial taskforce is not trained, and therefore not knowledgeable about the fisheries sub-sector, and above all, does not receive a formal remuneration / salary for the work it is assigned to do thus making the taskforce prone and vulnerable to corrupt tendencies, and generally acting with impunity.

A community representative making a plenary presentation of group IV Score card

results during a HIV/AIDS and service delivery dialogue session/workshop held at BDLG hall, Buliisa district.

As a result of the actions orchestrated by the Hon. Minister’s parallel fisheries task force; the fisheries landscape has been negatively impacted by the following:

i) Widespread deployment and use of illegal fishing gears and trade in

immature fish by those allowed to do so for an agreed fee i.e between the fisheries taskforce and the wrong doers.

ii) Reduced/or inadequate production and supply of fish as raw material for fish-processing plants – thus rendering a large percentage of fish processing plants idle and/ or out of business e.g the Butiaba fish-processing plant on Lake Albert and many others in the country.

iii) Reduced supply and/or absence of ideal fish and fish products on the local market for local consumption and export.



iv) Reduced fish export tonnage which has resulted to reduced maximization of foreign exchange earnings from the fisheries sub-sector.

v) The fisheries of particularly Lake Albert has been overwhelmed and taken over by foreigners including Rwandese and Congolese nationals who are desperately willing and ready to bribe their way into illegal fishing.

vi) Orchestrating cross-border conflicts between Congolese and Ugandan fishermen on Lake Albert as a result of the misguided operations of the fisheries task force commonly referred to by the local community on Lake Albert as “NATO” i.e Nankabirwa Taskforce Operatives. The case in point here is the arresting and taking into custody of the Ugandan police officers and taskforce members in the DRC last year “2013” around CHYOMYA AREA on Lake Albert by the Congolese Marine force; is one such incident. These were accused of extorting money, stealing property and straying into DRC territory without permission. To date, because of the misguided activities of the taskforce; Ugandan fishermen continue to be attacked and harassed on L.Albert waters by the Congolese unabated.

d) The outcomes enumerated in (c) above are directly and indirectly responsible

for the widespread poverty in fishing communities including increased food and income insecurity at household levels. Furthermore, poverty is one such major factor that aids the transmission of HIV and AIDS; and this is because poverty decreases choices. It forces many to leave home in search of work, leaving them more vulnerable to risky behaviour. It leaves many impoverished girls and women vulnerable to exploitation, including early marriage, and selling sex — many see sex work as one of the few options available to support themselves.

Just docked - fishermen collect Mukene fish out of their canoe for direct marketing to women fishmongers at Butiaba fishing village/beach, Buliisa district



e) An already overstretched and depleted fisheries resources compounded by widespread deployment and use of illegal fishing gears and methods perpetuated by an ineffective and complacent leadership and weak governance regime. This state of affairs continues to negatively impact and is directly responsible for the widespread degradation of the fisheries, and increasing food insecurity and endemic household poverty in fishing communities countrywide.

f) High influx of non-indigenous and foreigners especially from DR. Congo and Rwanda to seize employment opportunities offered by the growing oil industry in the Albertine region. The continued cross-border influx of the Congolese is also a potential source of infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, proximity to the border renders the host communities prone to cross-border resource conflicts; and infiltration of immigrants who exert insurmountable pressure on the fisheries resource and social services.

A community member making contributions during a joint dialogue session on

HIV/AIDS and social service delivery held at Kabolwa fishing village, Buliisa district

g) The high burden of gender based violence (GBV) in the fishing communities is further exacerbated by the availability of readily disposable cash which is a major driver for luring women and young people / youth out of school into the fisheries business; attracting young women and girls into commercial sex work; and encouraging early marriages. This state of affairs is further aggravated by widespread rape, and defilement cases which are usually endorsed by parents of the girl child; silenced by pay offs. Further, a combination of the ‘easy money’ and risky lifestyle behaviour; drug and alcohol abuse; and excessive masculine tendencies of men in fishing communities all combine to increase susceptibility to HIV/AIDS among these hard to reach and most at risk population.



The Chairperson - LCII of Butiaba Sub-county – Mr. Mulimba Seremos addressing a joint stakeholder dialogue on HIV and AIDS session of local leaders, sub-county officials and

community members held at Butiaba community space- conducted by UFFCA

h) The absence of reliable safe and clean drinking water, proper toilet/latrine

facilities and poor hygiene and sanitation in fishing villages/beaches have led to general poor basic health for community members. This is particularly so among PHIV and the wider community including those with low immunity such as OVCs, children and pregnant mothers. Coupled with poor access to healthcare, low levels of hygiene and sanitation work against poor communities increasing morbidity and mortality all across through and further exacerbated by seasonal occurrences of preventable diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and malaria and tuberculosis. These factors greatly compound the impact of HIV & AIDS epidemic on the core fabric of community wellbeing and social setting.

Table 1: Number and category of stakeholders / beneficiaries reached and benefited from UFFCA-MARPs Network HIV/AIDS Prevention Initiative.

No.

District Sub-county

/Town Council

Fishing Village / Location

Female %ge Male %ge Total

Number

1

BULIISA

Butiaba

Butiaba ( Piida A + B)

3 7 38 93 41

2 Bugoingo 6 12 42 88 48

3 Walukuba 3 16 16 84 19



4 Kigwera Wasenko 2 5 37 95 39

5

Buliisa Town Council (BTC)

Kabolwa 8 21 31 79 39

6 Kalolo (Katala) 6 12 43 88 49

7 Karakaba

(Songa Lendu) 1 3 36 97 37

8

District Level Stakeholders Dialogue - Workshop Participants

16 25 48 75 64

9

KASESE

Bwera-Lubhiriha

Town Council

Bwera Town Council

5 56 4 44 9

10 Mpondwe Fish

Market 8 62 5 38 13

11 Lake Katwe Sub-county

Katunguru Fishing village

15 58 11 42 26

12 Kasese

Municipal Council

(Kasese District) KDLG

Hqtrs 1 12 7 88 8

TOTAL NUMBER

74 19 318 81 392

(iii) Group discussions and plenary sessions

During the group discussions, participants were divided and assigned responsibilities under four main thematic working groups as follows; Group I: district and sub-county leadership including RDC, DISO and DPC; Group II: district administrative and technical officers; Group III: sub county technical officers including the chief; and Group IV: Elders, women, youth and fishing community representatives. In-depth analysis and rankings were made /scored on the levels of performance in respect of the four key services areas / sectors of; health, education, governance, fisheries and security service delivery needs for the fishing communities.



Focus group discussion (FGD) of community representatives using the scorecard to assess

performance of local government in HIV/AIDS response and social service delivery in fishing communities – during a Stakeholders’ dialogue workshop held at the BDLG Hall, Buliisa district.

The service delivery assessment was conducted by using the community scorecard tool/methodology employed by each thematic group. The rankings were made in such a way that good or best performance was scored in order of 1,2,3,4……..10, with score 1 being for worst performance with regard to service delivery/provision by the district local government and other actors. The results of each group discussions with agreed upon recommendations were then presented in a plenary session under the joint guidance of UFFCA and the district HIV/AIDS focal point officer. (See Appendix:.......) The aim of using a community scorecard methodology during the stakeholder dialogue and engagement sessions was to identify gaps in the delivery of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS and other related services, and to show the real situation on the ground, and using these same results of the scorecard tool to augment evidence-informed advocacy work around social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery. Particularly, this would in the short, medium and long term proactively stimulate duty bearers to be more accountable and responsive to the need for improved delivery of quality services to those underserved fishing communities.



Focus group discussion (FGD) comprising of Buliisa district administrative team / heads of departments sharing views on using a score card to assess their overall performance in service delivery across sectors / departments – during a HIV and AIDS stakeholders

dialogue workshop held at BDLG Hall, Buliisa district

(iv) Adoption of the Action Plan

A time-bound action plan with practical suggestions/recommendations and activities to be undertaken by different actors and at different levels was discussed and unanimously adopted by all participants. The adopted action plan should effectively guide stakeholders and duty bearers in reaching the fulfilment of the community service delivery needs.

(v) Closing remarks

In Buliisa district, the closing remarks were made by the LCV Secretary for defence who represented the LCV Chairperson. The Chairperson commended UFFCA and MARPs Network for the good work in bridging the information gap and bringing together a diverse section of stakeholders to openly discuss important issues affecting the district. Furthermore, appreciated the partnership for taking action to strategically initiative a comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention programme targeting Buliisa district, and further pledged the total support of the district leadership. On behalf of Buliisa district local government; the Chairperson called upon UFFCA to increasingly work in partnership with Buliisa district to mobilise, organise and build capacity of fishing communities so that they are able to effectively fight against HIV and AIDS, conserve and promote sustainable fishing enterprises for household income, employment, food security and the overall economic growth of Buliisa district.



The DISO who represented the RDC addressing participants during a stakeholders’

dialogue workshop on HIV and AIDS response in fishing communities, Buliisa District

DHE making remarks on behalf of the Buliisa district CAO during a stakeholder

HIV/AIDS dialogue held at Buliisa District Social Hall.



A woman participant actively contributing to discussions during the Stakeholder

HIV/AIDS dialogue meeting held in Buliisa at the district social Hall

4.0 COMMENTS During the period under review, while in Kasese district, the situation on the ground was not quite conducive for planned activities which left the UFFCA field team to spend more time while planning together with the district leadership than was experienced in Buliisa district. This was due to the insecurity that had engulfed the district during the time which kept most key district officials out of their offices attending security meetings. This meant that not all but a few district and sub-county officials/leaders were actually consulted and involved in the process. In addition, since some fishing villages targeted for the field visits were also affected, it was not possible for the team to work in all targeted fishing communities as earlier planned.

However, in Buliisa district, the programme was extremely successful mainly because of the enthusiasm exhibited by the entire district leadership and fishing communities as the number of community members and key leaders who actually attended the dialogue meetings was overwhelmingly bigger than had been expected. The good cooperation shown by the Buliisa district local government leadership at all levels during the planning process and in the conduct of the consultative workshops also immensely added to the success of the programme.



Participant queue for meals during lunch break after an intensive stakeholders

HIV/AIDS dialogue meeting held at Buliisa district social hall

Participants being served lunch during a stakeholder HIV/AIDS dialogue

meeting held at Buliisa district social Hall.



5.0 CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNT A number of challenges were experienced and as were many lessons learnt in the entire implementation process of all activities planned under the joint UFFCA-MARPs Network HIV/AIDS prevention initiative i.e. from holding community, sub-county and district level including meetings held with individual leaders and workshops.

5.1 Challenges:

• There were a limited number of women (19%) who actually participated in the entire process as most were busy and actively involved in buying, processing and selling of fish for their survival. The majority did not have time for the meetings, but it is also noted that, the absence of women could have been exacerbated by; I don’t care attitude, ignorance and illiteracy and influenced by the marginalization of women and girls in societies of fishing communities.

• Inadequate time was given to the programme since most awareness and education programmes require substantial amount of time for the messages especially on HIV/AIDS to go across the broader layer of such an ignorant and sidelined fishing community.

• The inadequate funding and piecemeal approach in the disbursement of funds to implement a number of strategically planned activities under the joint HIV/AIDS initiative directly affected and impacted on the immediate outcomes of the initiative.

• Conflicting socio-economic interests and political perspectives directly and indirectly affected the effective involvement and participation of stakeholders in the many dialogues conducted over the period.

• The social unrest which erupted in the Rwenzori region, and more particularly in Kasese district; somehow coincided with the implementation of planned activities under the joint HIV/AIDS initiative which directly impacted and affected the implementation and realization of the expected outcomes.

5.2 Lessons learnt:

• Joint actions directly involving the active participation of duty bearers at all levels i.e political and administrative/technical leaders is important in reaching agreed positions on the effective delivery of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS services and the realization of immediate socio-economic-health outcomes.

• Promoting self-advocacy directly spearheaded by community members i.e the bottom-up processes is key to making duty bearers accountable and responsive to social and healthcare needs of the poor and underserved communities.

• The success of this programme was made possible as a result of the good cooperation and commitment exhibited by the top district and sub-county leadership in the two districts of Buliisa and Kasese.



• There is need to involve as many women as possible in these community-based processes for increased uptake of HIV/AIDS prevention and other related services as they are the people most affected by a lack of healthcare and HIV/AIDS service delivery in their localities.

• There are extremely limited HIV/AIDS prevention interventions and/ or programmes targeting fishing communities particularly in Buliisa district and to some fair extent Kasese.

• Weak and ineffective leadership and widespread complacency in the governance system of Buliisa district is negatively impacting delivery of social, healthcare and HIV/AIDS services, which increasingly exposes the wider community to an ever increasing burden of diseases, food insecurity, and widespread poverty.

• The fishing communities are willing and ready for the paradigm shift and positive change in practices with regard to HIV/AIDS prevention efforts but lack targeted and sustained engagement and support.

• In these fishing communities, it is not possible to succeed in the fight against HIV/AIDS unless targeted HIV prevention interventions are integrated and implemented in tandem with poverty reduction efforts.

• It is a considered fact that escalating rural poverty exacerbated by a lack of alternative sources of incomes for fishing communities, among others, is fuelling and is a key driver for new HIV infections and AIDS epidemic in fishing communities. Accordingly, measures aimed at supporting and promoting sectoral development will help reduce the spread and mitigate impacts of the HIV and AIDS in fishing populations.

• Apart from the existing community institutions that are working in and with fishing communities (e.g BMUs, LCs, VHTs, etc.) particularly in Buliisa district, there is urgent need for increased social mobilization and building community organizations or forums that are capable of voicing out community concerns and demand entitlements while mobilizing their own communities for increased uptake of HIV/AIDS services in their respective localities. Currently, there are no formidable community organizations to further this campaign drive and ensure sustainability of an extended HIV/AIDS response at local level.

6.0 Recommendations:

i) That districts (i.e Buliisa and Kasese) directly engage and link up with the

Ministry of Health (MoH) seeking to upgrade all health centre IIs in fishing villages to health centre IIIs so that rural communities can readily access quality and comprehensive HIV and AIDS services including ART/ARV and general healthcare.



ii) That the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF); particularly the State Minister for Fisheries should be contacted to make clarifications concerning the fisheries task force activities.

iii) That Buliisa district local government (BDLG) should air radio announcements and communicate through a written circular prohibiting the mixing and use of sand in Mukene and any other fish species product as this is against the Government of Uganda health and quality standards.

iv) That the districts of Buliisa and Kasese should take it as a matter of urgency to raise awareness and educate the public especially fishing communities on the need for good hygiene practices and enforcing district wide construction of improved pit latrines by households in an effort to curtail seasonal occurrences of cholera, diarrheal diseases and dysentery.

v) That the districts of Buliisa and Kasese should take it upon themselves and use their relevant law enforcement agents to apprehend and proscute culprits deploying illegal fishing gears and methods e.g beach seine nets, prohibited lighting and undersized fish nets in harvesting of fish and those transporting and marketing immature fish.

vi) That Buliisa district local government leadership shall take it upon itself to expressly call a council meeting to pass resolutions in support of introducing and enforcement of a fishing holiday across the district boundaries with the aim to protect and conserve fisheries resources for food and income security.

vii) That the district local governments of Buliisa and Kasese shall take it upon themselves to partner with private institutions and organizations in comprehensively building the capacity of local leaders including that of BMU leadership on their roles and responsibilities in the sustainable development processes of their respective districts.

viii) That their is urgent need to distribute and promote the use of condoms as one of the many strategies for the prevention of HIV, STDs, cervical cancer and early and unwanted pregnancies.

7.0 Planned and Pending Activities:

i) Undertake further community and stakeholder engagement in the 2 remaining target communities in Kasese district.

ii) Conduct a district level stakeholders’ dialogue and administer the score card to assess overall service delivery performance in Kasese district

iii) Presentation of the process reports as a strategy for advocacy and solicit adoption of the recommendations by the leadership from the two target districts of Buliisa and Kasese.

iv) Make a follow up with respective district leaders on agreed activities/action points and evaluate their level of performance in the delivery of such services.



Appendix 1: Challenges Facing Fishing Communities in Accessing Social and HIV/AIDS Prevention Services in Buliisa District along the Shores of Lake Albert (30th June – 3rd July, 2014) – Baseline Findings Report Presented by UFFCA to BDLG Stakeholders’ Dialogue Workshop held on 4th July, 2014 .........................................................................................................................

Introduction

UFFCA is a legal national collective of community-based fisheries-related organizations

working for the concerns, needs and strategic interests and aspirations of over 2.5

million lake-dependent communities, countrywide. The organisation is involved in

community mobilizing and organizing, human rights activism, HIV/AIDS prevention

and policy advocacy for fisheries reform at local and national government levels.

UFFCA works toward the proactive involvement and inclusion of disadvantaged and

marginalized men, and women fishers of all cultures, and values promoting self-

reliance, participatory democracy, equality and socio-economic political justice for

sustainable social transformation.

UFFCA is currently implementing a project titled Social Mobilisation for Increased

Uptake of Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Services in Fishing

Communities.’ This initiative is funded by DANIDA through the Most at Risk

Populations (MARPS) Network of which UFFCA is a member. With the blessing of the

Buliisa District Local Government, UFFCA carried out a fact finding mission to

ascertain the major socio-economic issues that affect nine fishing communities within

the district. Below is a synopsis of this investigation.

Sites Visited: Butiaba, PIIDA A, PIIDA B, Walukuba, Bugoigo, Kabolwa, Songa Lendu,

Kalolo/Karakaba and Wanseko including Buliisa Town council (BTC)

Dates: 30th June - 3rd July, 2014

Participants: The meetings were attended by community members including

fishermen, boat owners, business men and women, elders, local leaders, sub county

representatives, BMU members, youth women and PWD representatives.

Agenda:

1. Prayer

2. Welcome and introduction from local leader (LC 1, 2, 3, Chairperson BMU)

3. Brief from UFFCA ED on project background

4. Community discussions on challenges, possible causes, responsible parties

and recommendations for solutions

5. Nominations of community representatives for district level stakeholder

meeting



Challenges:

The major challenges affecting fishing communities were identified as:

A. HIV/AIDS-related Challenges

� Poor access to AIDS related services such as ART and HCT: These

services are only available at HCIII yet the most accessible centres only

provide HCII level services. Even then, only Butiaba has an easily accessible

HCII with the other landing sites travelling long distances to the nearest

centre.

� Poor medical ethics: There is a tendency for medical personnel to receive

bribes from clients in order to provide them with false negative HIV results.

� Low drug adherence: ARV regime difficult to maintain because the tablets

need to be taken regularly and for life.

� Low levels of HIV/AIDS awareness: Communication problem due to the

multi-ethnic composition of fishing communities means that many do not

benefit from the several outreach and media HIV/AIDS campaigns.

� Poor distribution and accessibility of condoms

� High levels of drug and alcohol abuse

� High levels of poverty and unemployment: Increased poverty has led to a

shift in traditional gender roles which means that women spend all nights out

fishing to subsidise household incomes. This leads to increased promiscuity

among women and thus incidence. There is an additional vulnerability for

women who use ‘fish for sex’to supplement their livelihoods

� Easy access to daily cash income: Due to the nature of the business, ‘easy

money’ coupled with high vulnerability means a high level of sexual

promiscuity and large number of CSWs

� High rates of defilement and rape

B. Fisheries Resource Management Challenges

� Sole income:Having fishing as the only resourceful income for these

communities means that the depleting levels of the resource have led to

aggravated poverty levels. Although there has been an attempt to introduce

loans for alternative agriculture through the NAADS programme, this has not

been successful.

� Enforcement: 5 different enforcement bodies are operational at the landing

sites and all rely on the fisherfolk’s income for their own survival.

� Task Force: The presence of a new Ministerial-appointed beach and Lake

task force team has caused a lot of conflict across all the communities visited.

The teams are not accountable to anyone except the Minister; do not receive

any formal salaries so are prone to corruption; are not locals; have no

knowledge of the fisheries sector and generally act with impunity.



C. Leadership and Governance

� Local Councils: Overstay and complacency among LC officials; holding of

more than one office within the LC system, corruption and politicisation of

social issues.

� Beach Management Units:The system is riddled with problems including:

corruption; no term limits; no proper authority to apprehend wrong-doers

(authority cards); non- fishers membership; political interference; no

accountable system of election; and political interference.

D. Other challenges

� Poor sanitation and hygiene: Insufficient toilet facilities, lack of drinking

water, poor rubbish disposal expose the communities to waterborne diseases,

malaria, and other infectious diseases

� Lack of urban planning:No centralised urban structural coordination leading

to haphazard building and conflict. E.g. Community member in Butiaba

complains that his neighbour has built a pit latrine less than two metres from

his residence. Although he has reported this to the concerned authorities,

nothing has been done

� High school drop-out rates

� Overpopulation: There are a large number of community members that have

no accommodation and sleep on the streets. Additionally, the lake is being

further depleted by this large population.

� Access:All sites are difficult to reach with poor roads and transportation

system.

� Border:Proximity to the border renders the communities prone to cross-border

conflict; infiltration of immigrants, who at times community members feel have

an unfair advantage in the way they are treated; no control over disease.

� High influx non-indigenous workers due to oil exploration.

� Large number of HIV related OVCs

� Harassment from UWA: This is in cases where fishing communities are

neighbouring the national park and park borders are not clearly demarcated.

Recommendations

The following recommendations were proposed to several of the challenges mentioned

above:

HIV/AIDS-related recommendations:

1. Increase access to HIV/AIDS services through the upgrading HC II to

HCIII across the district including Butiaba.

2. Increase regularity and of HCT outreach visits from the District to the

fishing communities. Weekly visits for testing would ensure that



information is kept updated. This is particularly vital because there is

high movement of people to and from the villages.

3. Regularly provide female and male condoms for free to the communities,

particularly in lodges. These should also go hand in hand with

instructions on use.

4. Alternatives to an ARV regime that is easy to adhere too. E.g. fewer

tablets per month or in injection form. Furthermore, a drug should be

develop that can reduce the promiscuity levels of those infected with HIV.

This would lead to a reduction in incidence since currently, unlike

before; patients are not easily identifiable with the naked eye.

Fisheries Resource Management

1. Proper training and induction for BMUs and system restructuring to

make them more effective to serve the communities

2. As was the case in Karamoja region where cattle rustlers were offered an

alternative income, an incentive to give up illegal fishing must be found

for fisher folk that are willing to give it up.

3. It was proposed that the fishing communities should all get together and

petition the Minister in charge of Fisheries, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa

regarding the deployment of the Task Force.

4. Government should control illegal fishing by banning wrong size of nets

from importation.

5. Fishing communities could begin by taking steps in fighting illegal

fishing themselves. A case study is in Kabolwa where only a certain size

of nets is allowed on the lake. This is possible through community

policing.

Leadership and Governance:

1. Suggestion that Parliamentary representation be awarded to the fisheries

sector because they contribute highly to the country’s GDP.

2. The BMU Act should be amended and fishing communities fully

sensitised on their rights under the Act.

Others:

1. NAADS loans should be given individually as the system using groups

has not been successful. Many groups have had in-fighting leading to

losses. Smaller loans should be provided on a one on one basis.

2. UFFCA to help community members form savings groups which can then

apply for loans



APPENDIX 2: REPORT ON STAKEHOLDERS DIALOGUE MEETING ON SOCIAL MOBILIZATION FOR INCREASED UPTAKE OF HIV/AIDS SERVICES AMONG FISHING COMMUNITIES IN BULIISA DISTRICT HELD AT THE DISTRICT RESOURCE CENTRE ON 4/07/2014 ............................................................................................................................. Background:

Buliisa District in partnership with (UFFCA) and MARPs NETWORK organised a

meeting with key stakeholders to consult them on issues pertaining social service

delivery including HIV/AIDS prevalence among the fishing communities (MARPS). The

key stakeholder included the Chairperson LC V, RDC, DEO(for CAO), DIISO, DCDO,

PHRO, DHE(for DHO), HIF focal person and representative of heads of departments ,

Sub county Chairpersons and sub county Chiefs, ACDO, Health Assistants, Fishing

community representatives, and elders while the central team comprised of UFFCA

and MARPs NETWORK officials.

The workshop was funded by DANIDA through MARPS NETWORK with UFFCA as the

implementing partner and main facilitators with coordination of Mr. Mugabe Robert,

the Buliisa District HIV focal person.

Objective of the dialogue meeting

1. To identify gaps in services delivery to the fishing communities

2. To raise awareness of HIV/AIDS among fishing communities

3. Develop action plan to assist in closing of the service delivery gaps

During the discussion to identify gaps in the social service delivery especially in area

of Health, Education, Governance, Fisheries and Security to the Most at risk

populations (MARPS). District, participants were grouped into four working groups as

follows: District technical Officers, District and sub county Politicians and sub county

technical officers and representative s of fishing community members.

During the discussions, the following gaps were identified in social service delivery to

MAARPS (e.g. fishing communities) and recommendation were made in relation to

specific gaps. Institutions/Organisations to follow up and implement the

recommendations were also proposed as follows:

Gaps in social service delivery

Recommendations Implementing Institution/ Organised

Poor access to health services especially access to ARVs and HCT

Upgrading health centre IIs to Health centre IIIs so that communities can access ARVs

Buliisa District Local Government, MOH, (UFFCA for advocacy)

Poor distribution and access to condoms

Condoms should be distributed to bars and lodge owners.

Office of the DHOs, Partners like AMICALL and UFFCA

Poor medical ethics Recruitment of health workers Buliisa District LG,



and induction /orientation courses conducted

Ministry of Public service

High level of drug Abuse e.g. marijuana

Culprits involved in Drug trade and abuse should be arrested and apprehended

Police, Court of laws, Local Councils (LCs)

Early Marriage /Defilement & rape

Apprehend culprits Police, Court of laws

So many Fisheries enforcement agencies on the lake.

Regulation/ reducing of number of enforcement agencies

Buliisa District local Government/MAAIF and UFFCA

Non-functional fisheries department staff

Activate and facilitate fisheries staff

Buliisa District Local Government

BMU do not know what they are supposed to do

Building capacity of BMUs through workshops on their roles and functions

Fisheries department, Buliisa DLG, MAAIF, partners like UFFCA

Leaders wait for complaints from members to monitor Government programmes

Building capacity of leaders on their roles and responsibilities

Buliisa DLG and UFFCA

Fish stocks have been depleted due to fishing malpractices

There is need to impose fishing holidays and enforcement rules and regulations

Buliisa District LG, MAAIF, development partners

Mixing of muziri (neobola argente) with sand

Arrest and prosecute culprits Police, Fisheries Officers, Local Leaders.

Tenure of office of current BMUs office bearers has expired

BMU elections be conducted CAOs Office

Community members lack pit latrines and hence defecate in the bush

Construction of community pit latrines

Buliisa LG, NGO UFFCA etc

Arrest persons without pit latrines

Health Inspectors /Police

Sensitise community members on good hygiene practices

Buliisa-DHE, NGO UFFCA etc

High crime rates Establish more police outposts DPC/RDC

School dropout providing labour at fish landing sites

Draft children ordinances is being developed, inputs from community members/fisher folk are welcomed

CAO to formally write to UFFCA seeking financial support.

The closing remarks were given by Hon. Opengtho on behalf of Chairperson LC V

Recorded by Approved by

Balikenda Naphtali DEO FO/AG. SUB COUNTY CHIEF-BUTIABA FOR CAO-BULLISA



Appendix 3: Plenary Group presentations on the score card process:

Group I – District Political Leadership (including the RDC and DISO)

No. Social Service Area / Sector

Performance Indicator

Score (1 – 10)

Justification for Score (Reason)

1 Health • Staff 3 • Understaffing due to Gov’t ban on recruitment

• Supplies of commodities and drugs

5 • Inadequate supplies from NDS • Limited initiative from the district

• Infrastructure / facilities

3 • Local Gov’t has limited funds to up infrastructure – however some infrastructure has been put up (e.g Kigoya General Hospital)

• Attitude of staffs 4 • Delayed salaries thus staf threatening to lay down tools e.g Biiso Health Centre III

• Restructuring of Nursing assistants

• Hard to reach and stay • Unethical conduct to clients / the sick e.g birth giving mothers (i.e expectant mothers)

2 Fisheries • Staff 2 • Under staffing due to ban on recruitment

• So many operational agencies in the lake e.g Lake Albert

• Inadequate facilitation by the Gov’t

• BMU 3 • Delayed election of new members • Lack of capacity /or knowledge and skills

• No facilitation • No full power / authority

3 Leadership and Governance

• Political leaders 3 • No support to implementation of district programmes

• Inadequate / low coordination between political leaders and technocrats

• Poor attitude of some local communities

• Inadequate facilitation 4 Education • Staff 3 • Inadequate infrastructure e.g

class room blocks, teachers houses

• Delayed release of of capital grants

• Improved salaries • Lack of transport to facilitate inspection and coordination

5 Others • Security 6 • Lack of guaranteed security on the high seas / water bodies e.g



lake Albert

• Porous borders i.e the lake is no demarcated – thus difficult to identify the border between Dr. Cong and Uganda

• works 5 • lack of maintenance of roads • limited opening of new roads to some areas / impassable

Group II – District Administrative and Departmental heads Team (including the CAO)



Score (1 – 10)


1 Health • Staffing 4 • Inability to recruit and retain critical staff

• Infrastructure / facilities

4

• Inadequate staff houses – sharing • Limited health services – not upgraded from II to III level

• Attitude 5 • Over worked and stretched • Committed but few in number

• Supplies 4 • Inadequate / limited supplies

• Service delivery 6 • Staff always present i.e staff attendance good

• OPD attendance is 1.2 which is good

2 Education • Staffing (Teachers)

6 • The agreed and stipulated sealing has been recruited and deployed

• Pupil enrollment and attendance

5 • All school going age children are not in school –only about 50%

• Parental support

4

• Parental support to the children is minimal especially in providing lunch

• Inadequate provision of scholastic materials e.g books etc

• School management and administration

5 • Stakeholders like school management committee (SMC) and PTA need continuous sensitization / training

• Infrastructure 5 • Limited and constrained budget 3 Leadership

and Governance

• Community meetings

4 • Many local leaders do not call duty meetings apart from case related meetings and councils

• Management of cases

4 • Most cases are opposed and mismanaged with the help of the leaders

• Participation and involvement

4 • Love for allowances rather than looking at effective leadership

• Less / limited involvement women i.e gender bias

• Monitoring and evaluation

4 • Leaders do not provide leadership but only wait for complaint from



community members

4 Fisheries • Staffing 10 • All staff are available and have been recruited

• Fish catches

1

• Depletion of resources / stocks • Over stretched fishing effort e.g boats, fishnets

• Widespread use of illegal gears / methods

• Effectiveness of staff

3 • They are restrained from carrying out their duties

• Too many actors i.e law enforcers, task force etc

5 Security

• Staffing

5

• Adequate man power / troops deployed to ensure law and order

• Security of property and life is guaranteed

• Effectiveness (management of cases)

5 • Corruption • Low facilitation

• Infrastructure / office blocks

2 • Inadequate housing • Limited working office space

Group III – Sub-county Technical Team (including the Sub-county Chief)



Score (1 – 10)


1 Health • staffing 4 • under staffing

• Infrastructure 2 • Inadequate structures

• Supplies of commodities and drugs

3 • Insufficient supplies i.e drugs and commodities

2 Education • Staffing 6 • High pupil to teacher ratio • Low motivation of teachers

• Infrastructure 2 • Inadequate staff houses and class room blocks

• Enrollment and completion of school

3 • High school dropout • Girls victims of cultural misperception

3 Leadership and governance

• Mentoring and supervision

2 • Inadequate facilitation

• Poor attitude

• Transparency and Accountability

3 • Lack of information display and dissemination

• Making bye-laws 1 • No crucial bye-laws formulated and approved by the councils

• Limited knowledge on council roles and functions

4 Fisheries • Staffing 1 • Understaffing • Unqualified staff e.g BMUs

• Enforcement of rules and regulation

1 • Widespread use of illegal gears and methods

• Lack of orientation on the law /



guidelines for BMUs

• Management 1 • Widespread corruption • Lack of full participation and involvement of BMUs

5 Security • staffing 4 • poor deployment • impunity and corruption • complacency

Group IV – Community Representatives (including Elders and BMUs)

No. Social Service

Area/Sector


Score (1 - 10)


1 Health

• Professional ethics

• Stocking • Infrastructure

5 3 3

• Medical personnel have poor working ethics including rudeness and lack of confidentiality.

• Drug and material stocks tend to run out.

• Not enough health centres to serve the population making access difficult.

2 Education

• Pupil retention • Infrastructure • Sensitization and awareness raising

1 2 2

• High school drop out rates with children being employed in the fisheries business

• Not enough schools • No community meetings at LCI level for sensitisation and awareness raising on social issues.

3 Leadership and Governance

• BMU management

• By-laws and ordnances

• Council meetings and oversight

3 3 3

• High levels of corruption with officials taking bribes

• No ordnances or by-laws

• Issues discussed not relevant to community meetings

4 Fisheries

• Resource management

• Revenue collection

1 0

• Overfishing and poor fishing methods (specifically battery fishing and use of illegal nets) leading to environmental degradation; mixing sand in fish; and harassment from National Task Force.

• No benefit to local population derived from fishing due to centralisation of revenue collection.

5 Security

• Infrastructure

6 • Insufficient number of police posts



APPENDIX 4: KASESE DISTRIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSULTATIVE AND PLANNING MEETING MINUTES ON HIV/AIDS

A series of consultative meetings was held between UFFCA and Kasese District Local Government officials/leaders.

The objective of these meetings was to:

• introduce UFFCA to the district and familiarise the key officials with the overall implementation plan of the project ‘Social

Mobilisation for Increased Uptake of Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Services in Fishing Communities.’

• understand which key government officials will be involved in the project

• request for partnership in project implementation and create rapport

• assess the current security situation and find out if it was safe to begin implementation.

Venue: Kasese District Local Government Headquarters

Date: 9th - 10thJuly 2014

Members Present

1. LC V Chairperson, Kasese District Local Government

2. Robert Mwesigye, Chief Adminstrative Officer, Kasese District Local Government

3. Wilson Asaba, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Kasese District Local Government

4. Sowedi Kitanywa, Senior Probation Officer, Kasese District Local Government

5. John Thawite, District Information Officer/HIV Focal Person, Kasese District Local Government

6. Fred Ojuka, District Internal Security Officer, Kasese District Local Government

7. Katwesiime, Officer in Charge, Kasese Police Station

8. Rehema Aryema, Community Facilitator, UFFCA

9. Seremos Kamuturaki - Executive Director, UFFCA

10. Yusuf Mawazo - Project Coordinator, UFFCA

11. Lucie Rwomushana - Senior Programme Officer, UFFCA

Agenda Item Discussion Action Point Person Responsible

UFFCA Brief Mr Kamuturaki introduced the UFFCA team and informed that UFFCA has been active in the district sine 2011 on a different project that is still running. He stated however that UFFCA was interested in implementing a

Seremos



new project in the district. This is a 6 months engagement supported by MARPS Network and funded by DANIDA. But with possibility for extension into longer term implementation. The project implementation would include data collection from fisher communities both at landing sites and Mpondwe market area. This information would then be shared at a stakeholder workshop that could be organised at the District headquarters with members of the district leadership. Including:

• Executive leadership

• RDC

• Heads of departments

• LCIII chairpersons, CDOs and chiefs of target sub counties.

• Community members (15 -20)

• CSOs (5)

• Media

LC V Chairperson Brief

Welcomed the UFFCA team to the district and stated that he was aware of current UFFCA implementation within the district. He gave UFFCA the go ahead to carry out any new activities within the district but with caution to avoid the area around Hima due to recent insecurities in that region. The Senior Probation Officer advised on postponement however, citing that community members may not be in a very receptive mood even the area was secure.

CAO Brief The CAO suggested that UFFCA postpone their activities as it would be extremely difficult to get a hold of key stakeholders since most political leaders such as Sub county chiefs were currently engaged at the district. Ths was due to the high level security situation, as well as an upcoming religious ceremony that was taking place on 12th July. He also queried on whether UFFCA was supporting safe male circumcision to which Rehema responded that a recent outreach activity had been supported by UFFCA that included SMC, family planning, and nutrition support. Thawite requested that a report on these activiies be shared with the CAO and DHO’s office.

Field visits to take place between 4th -7th August culmnating in a stakeholder engagement at district level to take place on 8th August Write invitations; cater for venue; and procure invoices for catering. Cover all costs including transport, meals and materials.

UFFCA team CAO’s office UFFCA



Share all ensuing reports to CAO and DHO offices.

UFFCA field office

DISO Brief Although the DISO guaranteed security within the area around Kasese, he advised that UFFCA postpone activities as the beneficiaries were still traumatised by recent attacks and may not be willing participants in discussion. Seremos apologised for an administrative oversight that meant the DISO had not yet received cmmunication from UFFCA.

Send DISO invitation to stakeholder workshop.

UFFCA field office

Project Implementation

It was agreed that the UFFCA team would visit Nyakiyumbu, Lake Katwe, Katwe Kabatooro, Muhokya, Kitswamba and Mpondwe. A district rrepresentative would go along with the UFFCA team on these visits.

UFFCA

AOB The District Information Officer offered a vote of thanks to UFFCA for the partnership that they had maintained with KDLG over the last four years. He informed that the HIV Strategic Plan for the district was currently in progress and would benefit from the UFFCA input. He also requested that regular meetings between KDLG and CSOs be rejuvenated to keep all parties updated and to help improve planning. In response to a query on advocacy for cross-cutting issues, Seremos explained that UFFCA was involved at the national level with organisations such as KMCC and Uganda AIDS Commission wh plans to lobby Parliament and Cabinet on HIV/AIDS in fishing communities nationally. Seremos also responded to ACAO’s query on the environmental effect mining in the region could be having on the lake ecosystem. He stated that NAFFRI and NEMA had previously carried out research to inform this. However this needed further follow up.

Share District HIV Strategic Plan Work together to develop an integrated M+E tool to avoid duplication and have full reporting mechanism Reawaken this process wih NAFFRI and NEMA

Thawite UFFCA and Thawite UFFCA



APPENDIX 5: MPONDWE-LUBHIRIHA TOWN COUNCIL CONSULTATIVE DIALOGUE ON HIV/AIDS RESPONSE

The objective of these meetings was to:

• introduce UFFCA and familiarise the key officials with the overall implementation plan of the project ‘Social Mobilisation

for Increased Uptake of Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Services in Fishing Communities.’


• request for partnership in project implementation and create rapport

• get an overview of the key service delivery challenges that affect the people of Mpondwe as a district.

Venue: Mpondwe-Lubiriha Town Council, Mpondwe Market Traders’ Office

Date: 11th July, 2014

Members Present at the Mpondwe-Lubhiriha Town Council Consultative Dialogue

12. Mukirane George LC III Chairperson, Mpondwe- Lubiriha Town Council, Kasese District

13. Eva Biira, Town Clerk, Mpondwe- Lubiriha Town Council, Kasese District

14. LC III Council members -

15. Market fish traders

16. Rehema Aryema, Community Facilitator, UFFCA

17. Yusuf Mawazo - Project Coordinator, UFFCA

18. Lucie Rwomushana - Senior Programme Officer, UFFCA


UFFCA Brief Yusuf introduced the team and stated that UFFCA was interested in implementing a new project with the area. Mpondwe was chosen because of the presence of a buy cross border market that attracts traders and customers from all over Uganda and the DRC. Specific interest had been garnered because of the high ‘fish for sex’ trade that was characteristic of the market. Fish is one of the major commodties traded in this market. This project is a 6 months engagement supported by MARPS Network and funded by DANIDA. But with possibility for extension into longer term implementation. The project implementation would include data collection from fish traders, PLWHAs, CSWs, and truckers in the Mpondwe-



Lubiriha market area. This information would then be shared at a stakeholder workshop that would take placeon 8th August, 2014 at the District headquarters with members of the district leadership.

Town Clerk Brief The Town Clerk thanked UFFCA for all the work that they have previously been doing in the district. She welcomed them to work inMpondwe and commended UFFCA’s strategy of engaging the communities. She stated that NAYODE was curretly working in the Town Council specifically supportng youth, CSWs and PLWHAs who were wives of truckers. Additionally, they had contributed to a youth centre for the Community Services Department. She said however that there was still a huge gap and the UFFCA project would go a long way in supporting the community. She stated the following as the major challenges:

• Unprotected sex leading to high pregnancy rates

• Early marriages and defilement

• High school drop out rates She commended the community of Mpondwe on the high uptake rates of HIV/AIDs Counselling at Testing services when they were made available, but decried that there was a large time lapse between many prgrammes, makingthem ineffective.

Programme Implementation

The project would involve interaction with the beneficiary communities in Mpondwe. The District stakeholder meeting would be held on 8th August 2014 and would involve representation from Mpondwe-Lubiriha political nd technical departments.

Mobilise communities for information gathering meetings on 4th – 7th August, 2014 Provide facilitation for field visits and District meeting for LCIII representatives

LCIII councillors UFFCA

Discussion with LCIII Council Members

The following challenges were highlighted as affecting Mpondwe:

• Insufficient HIV/AIDS services

• Low awareness on HIV/AIDS coupled with a complacency due to hearing the same message repeatedly.

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• Hard to reach community because of high mobility

• High incomes with poor saving culture

• High levels of domestc violence leading to broken homes and HIV spread

• Highnumber of OVCs

• High number of CSWs

• High levels of unemploymet from job seekers who are attracted by the opportunity the market offers

• High levels of alcohol consumption

• ‘fish for sex’ The following recommendations were suggested:

• Develop innovative approaches for behaviour change campaigns for the community

• Increase employment opportunities to rdeuce poverty and idleness

• Offer HCT outreach programmes.

Discussion with Mpondwe- Lubiriha Market Fish Traders

The following challenges were highlighted as affecting Mpondwe market fish traders and the general community:

• ‘fish for sex’

• High levels of school drop out attracted by the opportunity to make quick money from the market activities; commercial sex work, and service industry

• High number of OVCs

• Poor parenting skills and child neglect by parents

• Complacency to HIV/AIDS messages and effects

• High drug and alcohol abuse especially among children and the youth

The following recommendations were suggested:

• Enforce by-laws that ensure children remain in schools; have no acess to alcohol and employers don’t engage under age children. KDLG together with SCF ar working across the District to enforce by- law on alcohol. Political leadership and the police in the Mpondwe was callled upon to take this up for it to be successful.

• Sensitisation and awareness raising on HIV/AIDS and by –laws and ordnances.



APPENDIX 6: BULIISA DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSULTATIVE AND PLANNING

MEETING ON HIV/AIDS RESPONSE – THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S OFFICE

“A consultative meeting was held between UFFCA and Buliisa District Local Government

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Resident District Commissioner (RDC)-[Mr. Peter

Bisoborwa], District Security Officer (DISO) and District Police Commander (DPC)”.

The objective of this meeting was to:

• introduce UFFCA to the district and familiarise the key officials with the overall

implementation plan of the project ‘Social Mobilisation for Increased Uptake of

Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Services in Fishing Communities.’


• request for partnership in project implementation and create rapport.

• Acquire a better understanding of the district

Venue: Buliisa District Local government Headquarters

Date: 30TH JUNE, 2014

Members Present

Stephen Oloya - Chief Adminstrative Officer, Buliisa District Local Government

Seremos Kamuturaki - Executive Director, UFFCA

Yusuf Mawazo - Project Coordinator, UFFCA

Lucie Rwomushana - Senior Programme Officer, UFFCA


UFFCA Brief Mr Kamuturaki introduced the UFFCA team and informed that UFFCA has previously been active in Buliisa from 2004 to 2007 but had since been engaged in a difernt project in South western Uganda. The new project is a 6 months engagement supported by MARPS Network and funded by DANIDA. But with possibility for extension into longer term implementation. UFFCA would particularly happy to establish a mutual working relationship with district.

Request for MoU with Buliisa DLG

Seremos

CAO Brief Welcomed the UFFCA team to the district. Stated that 3 contentious sectors are currently having an effect on communities in Buliisa:

Write to key stakeholders regarding conflict in fisheries



• Fisheries resources enforcement disputes with fishing communities

• Uganda Wildlife Authority interaction with neighbouring communities

• Oil exploration Aware that fishing communities have a high prevalence of HIV and are being included in the Bunyoro Development Plan under the MoGLSD. Also commented on the need for leaders to empower fisher folk as a strategy to protect them from political manipulation.

resource management.

Project Implementation Plan

Request by Yusuf for strengthened partnership between UFFCA and Buliisa DLG so as to promote success of the project. The following communities would be targeted:

• Butiaba

• Piida A

• Piida B

• Walukuba

• Bugoigo

• Kabolwa

• Songa Lendu

• Kalolo

• Wanseko He also stated that UFFCA team would be in the district collecting data at landing sites and would like to share this information at a stakeholder workshop that could be organised at the District headquarters with members of the district leadership. Including:

• Executive leadership

• RDC

• Heads of departments

• LCIII chairpersons, CDOs and chiefs of target sub counties.

• Health Assistant – sub-county level

• DPC

• DISO

• Community representatives

• CSOs etc

Invitations for stakeholder meeting sent out to District leadership, LCIII LCI and community representatives from target fishing communities. Meeting to take place on Friday 4th July at Bulisa DLG Resource Centre.

CAO’s office UFFCA team

Documents

Uffca progress report to marps