Lugo. Adopt-A-Village.
When the Rotary Club of Kololo-Kampala, Uganda, began developing a project to help the impoverished village of Lugo, located about an hour’s drive from the Ugandan capital, they first identified local leaders and sat down to talk with them.
“All the information you need a good community assessment is in the village.” say Sam Farouk Mukasa-Kajubi, who chaired the project for the Kololo-Kampala club. “Every community is capable of addressing their needs and how they think they can be met. Sometimes they just need a little awakening.”
This community assessment was a key part of a global grant sponsored by Mukasa-Kajubi’s club and District 9980 (New Zealand). Rotary grant staff concur that adopt-a-village projects, which are often complex, highlight the critical role of these assessments in an effort’s success.
“Most adopt-a-village projects that haven’t had a community assessment fail,” says Rebecca Mendoza, a regional grants, we saw how essential they were in these types of projects. Clubs sometimes bite off more than they can chew.”
In response to the concerns of local leaders, the Lugo adopt-a-village project addressed economic and community development , education, health and water and sanitation issues, The project provided cows, sewing machines, books and school desks. Elders received training in community leadership. A village health team was formed. And a borehole and water harvesting system were installed to provide clean water.
“The real project starts once you have put all the things on the ground, and you start monitoring your results. “
Sam Farouk Mukasa-Kajubi
Lessons Learned From The Project:
1. IDENTIFY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND MEET THEM: The project team assembled a focus group that included two teachers, two local officials, four elders, a health care administrator, two young adults, two religious leaders, and five other community figures. “Sit with them and ask them questions over a cup of tea or a drink,” Mukasa-Kajubi says. “Do that for two days and you will get all the information that you need.”
2. ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY OF LOCALS WHO IMPLEMENT YOUR PROJECT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. A team of four filled that role in Lugo. “This group did wonders for me.” he says. “They were there all the time, because they are the real beneficiaries.”
3. DEVELOP YOUR OWN QUESTIONS TO SUPPLEMENT ANY LIST OF SAMPLE QUESTIONS. Every project is unique. “Comparisons with other projects should be minimized.” he says.
4. KEEP GOOD RECORDS AND MAKE REPORTS MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR. If clubs wait until the mandated yearly report to gather records, Mukasa-Kajubi says, officers may have changed and receipts could be hard to track down. The Kololo-Kampala club has a committee that meets every Tuesday to review and record transactions.
