Food for the Hungry/UK
Registered Charity 328273

The Katale Child Development Programme, Uganda.

In spite of millions of dollars being invested in AIDS prevention in Uganda it is estimated that 18% of Ugandans are HIV positive. Even though 90% of the population of Uganda claim to be Christian, there is a high degree of sexual promiscuity and many people consult witch doctors. As AIDS kills mainly between 15 and 45 years of age (the work force), poverty increases, and the real victims are the orphans. 50% of the population is under 15 years of age.

Schools often lack the most basic facilities and equipment - classrooms, paper, pencils, desks, etc. Teachers are often unqualified and under-resourced, and many children drop out of school because their families cannot afford the costs, or because they are needed for household chores, such as collecting water or firewood.

Women and children often walk long distances to get dirty water from unprotected springs or ponds. There are few latrines and no idea that cleanliness produces health. The few clinics that exist lack competent staff and medications.

Katale is a village located about 14 km from Kampala, with an estimated population of about 9,000. FHI ran its Child Development Programme in Katale from 1996 until the end of 2002. A total of about 300 children were sponsored through Food for the Hungry national organisations in UK, Switzerland, Korea and USA.

New fuel-efficient stoves, constructed entirely from naturally occurring local materials, were introduced in 1996. These stoves greatly reduce the amount of firewood consumed and are much safer and more convenient than the traditional open fire. Rainwater harvesting tanks, also constructed locally, were introduced in 1999. Since the collection of water and firewood are traditionally tasks assigned to children, these introductions have had a major impact upon the opportunity for children to attend school. Katale residents have also shared this technology with other nearby communities.

The school has been improved, with construction of classrooms, a kitchen, library, teacher's quarters and latrines. In 2000, income-generating projects, initiated by local leaders, were introduced to help the school to become more self sustaining in the long term.

The training of adults as well as the children has led to improvements in health and literacy in the community.

Through Bible study, FHI has encouraged churches to work together to reach out holistically into their community and beyond. Leaders have been trained to solve the community problems, and family members are learning to care for each other.

Here is the final report from Katale, written by the Area Manager, Mr Moses Ssebegala

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF KATALE'S CDP ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 1995

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

Katale community has an average of 500 families with an approximate number of 2200 children in the area.

Peasant families, brick making and traditional stone quarrying are the major activities of the community. It had only one primary school since 1903 which did have full classes and no nearby secondary school at all. Children were studying under trees and no trained teachers for the 120 pupils of that time.

CHURCH:

By the time FHI opened in Katale, there was only one church of Anglican background. In the entire community there was only one Christian fellowship whereby they used to meet on Fridays. Most of these people were aged and they were about 10 whenever they could meet. The Sunday school was there with only 20 children, but with no trained instructor. Denominational differences was very high and people could not dare meeting together to mediate on God's word. People could get problems, but the church could not reach out to the needy and there was no true love to heathens and fellow Christians.

Achievements:

1. A grand international fellowship centre (African Prayer Mountain) has been established. People from different countries, continents and within the community gather for spiritual nourishment.
2. Other local churches have been established in the community in addition to the original Anglican one.
3. Outreach programs within churches have gained root i.e. Crusades, efforts and seminars are held every year.
4. Denominational differences which used to take a huge percentage is no longer a problem.
5. Plans for establishing a theological college in the area are in progress since land for it has already been secured.
6. Holy matrimony has been registered.
7. More active Sunday schools within the churches with several trained teachers have increased by 60%.
8. More people have come to the Lord and almost all corners of the community have a fellowship group.
9. Home bible study and children's fellowship group is gaining value day by day.
10. Samaritan holistic ministry where spiritual and physical needs are met is very active.

LEADERS:

Leaders were elected to the respective positions: Local Council chairman, Community counsellors, and e.t.c. and the problem was that they were caring only for themselves and had no leadership skills. Identifying problems as leaders was not there i.e. though there was only one school in that community, leaders were not caring at all to construct more classrooms yet children were studying under trees. Some parents used to take children in better schools outside the community. In fact, the majority used to say that Katale was "bewitched and it will never develop." Later on it was realised that there was need to change the entire community. This was done through the Vision of a Community.

Achievements:

1. Full capacity of trained teachers has been acquired.
2. From the graduated tax paid by the community members, a certain percentage is allocated toward community development.
3. Health and Nutrition programs have been established in the area.
4. Health development strategy hence community health workers have so far been accessed to a partial training.
5. Adult education program has been established, and run by community volunteers; hence the adult class has been constructed.
6. Mobile clinics, immunization, health seminars e.t.c. are in progress.
7. Demand for land has risen as many new settlements and constructions occur day by day.
8. Four (4) clinics have been established though on private basis yet people used to walk 6 kms to the nearest clinic.
9. Most of the people have pit latrines and there is a relative cleanliness in the homes.
10. Voluntary community mobilizers (VCM) are educating parents on the value of educating children.
11. A proposed Orphanage home and recreational complex is in progress.
12. Security is much improved by the local defence units and establishment of police post in the area.
13. Telecommunication systems have been improved in the area and some people have started utilizing the opportunity.
14. Piped water and pumped water supply has been established in some places of the community.
15. Public transport system has been so much improved.
16. Power supply has been risen to a phase rate, giving rise to industrial development.
17. Leaders are now solving community problems in a mature and intelligent manner i.e. broken marriages are reconciled, wrong doers are disciplined, children who refuse to go to school are disciplined e.t.c.
18. Some leaders involve themselves in the community work volunteering.
19. Two other primary and secondary schools have been established in additional to the original church founded one. These are:
1. Katale Preparatory Primary School
2. Hill-top Primary school
3. Light High school
4. Hill-top secondary school and other private kindergartens.

FAMILIES:

Families were divided and they were not respecting each other. Husbands could not dare to do domestic work since the culture does not allow them to do so; some parents did not care much about the education of a child; some children could escape from school and also do stone quarry e.t.c. In fact some children had become wild and were about to become street children. Though there were so many children in that area, at school there were only 120 and those who were at school could stay hungry since the parents were not caring at all.

Achievements:

1. Parents participate fully in the school affairs i.e. every Wednesday they work on the school gardens, school income projects etc.
2. Modern integrated farming practices now within the community.
3. Home projects for children in place i.e. goats, sheep and pig rearing.
4. Micro projects are cropping up in the area hence people get employed.
5. A library and some scholastic requirements are put in place.
6. Games and sports facilities have been put in place.
7. Full classroom block and 8 roomed staff quarters are now in use.
8. At least 25% of the students join secondary level and others join vocational training institutes. I.e. tailoring, brick laying/carpentry, welding, electronics, etc.
9. Men are involved in domestic work e.g. collecting firewood, fetching water, etc.
10. Families are meeting each other's needs.

REASONS FOR CLOSURE

The community has shown a change of attitude in so many ways as mentioned in the area of Vision of a Community (VOC). The leaders have contributed to the improved quality of life of the population through the achievements reached on.
If we overstay, these people might not grow thinking they are to depend on outsiders yet they have matured (they will remain dependants)
With reference to our annual evaluation against our planning schedule with what is happening on ground as mentioned, we are convinced that the three VOC objectives are being realised in Katale.

MOSES SSEBAGGALA AND KATALE TEAM