Situka Alliance Initiative Uganda

Strengthening Partnership with Caritas Kasanaensis: A call to promote Well Motherhood through Male Engagement:

Caritas Kasanaensis has been instrumental in contributing to social and economic empowerment within Luweero Triangle Districts (Nakaseke, Luweero and Nakasongola). In doing this work, there are opportunities for linkage with other development actors.

Situka Alliance Initiative (SAI) thought, it would be crucial to work with Caritas Kasanaensis as a joint force to promote people’s welfare within the region. We went ahead and contacted, Fr. Hillary Muheeza the Director Caritas Kasanaensis to explore ways of working together. He welcomed the effort and strategies SAI has put forth to ensure that families and communities live a more meaningful and enjoy a better quality life.

Whereas most of their development programmes were geared towards improving welfare and eradicating poverty among communities, the role of men had been underestimated said Betty Namaganda the programme officer at Caritas. “We had no specific programmes for men, all efforts for community development have been centred around both male and female although it has come to our notice all the years that women have been more proactive”.

Fr. Hillary pointed out that the region has had a setback in development due to lack of minimum education standards attained by middle age group (20-45) and people still believe in post war recovery mentality. He added that there are no opportunities and model programmes to motivate them and cited inadequate investments and industrialisation that would motivate the natives to work hard to achieve a standard quality of life. More so people haven’t acknowledged that there are in absolute total poverty, he added. “People to work hard they must first hate poverty that is when they can wake up and fight against it”!

Caritas Kasanaensis, has embarked on a new model of operation. The model essentialises working with people, empowers them, makes them take charge and ensures a robust system exists for both preventive and promotive practices. It hinges on working with community leaders, villages and whole families. It is a market-linked system. They plan to set up community halls (Kitawuluzi) equipped with market places, LC I offices and stores for people to keep their produces. These community centres will be managed by the entire village empowered to monitor and support themselves. This mitigates infrastructural and human resource challenges. However, men’s consciousness has not been tapped into for this to be achieved.

Caritas Kasanaensis Director acknowledged the need to involve men in many programmes. That way, they don’t sabotage the efforts women/spouses have put in most of the economic empowerment programmes. Most men, are decision makers who influence family matters. Even when their decisions are wrong women will always be complacent to their spouses.

The Chief Executive Officer Situka Alliance Initiative (SAI) expressed the need for collaboration and building capacity for Caritas Kasanaensis to ensure that there is integration of male involvement activities in their programming. He emphasized that SAI will work hand in hand with Caritas to empower men live a meaningful life through building their self-esteem and dignity affirmation. He also applauded Caritas, for the effort made to conserve the environment.

In the same discussion, Dr Olive Sentumbwe from WHO, pointed out the need to promote well motherhood through male involvement if the RMNCAH outcomes were to be realised. She added that Men manage most of the resources in the family and there is a need for SAI and Caritas to catalyse opportunities promoting healthy communities. Development is stimulated by healthy communities, added Dr. Olive. There is a need to streamline Men’s involvement in meaningful life styles as well practices that support their spouses and children. She cited out the need for Men to engage in supporting their spouses during pregnancies, fight against HIV and teenage pregnancies in order to celebrate a better quality of life among families and communities.

It is our hope that Situka Alliance Initiative (SAI), will catalyse the synergy with Caritas Kasanaensis by enhancing male involvement to promote people’s welfare within the region. We are so grateful to Kasana Luweero Catholic Diocese for the vanguard work. A big thank you goes to Fr. Hillary Muheeza the Director Caritas Kasanaensis who welcomed the effort and strategies SAI has put forth to ensure that families and communities live a more meaningful and quality life.

Fr. Hillary Muheeza showing the team some of the different steps they go through in the Environmental conservation and management campaign

Director caritas Kasanaensis showing the team how they preserve waste waiting to be processed.

Director Caritas Kasanaensis right, Dr. Olive Sentumbwe (WHO) second right, Kelly Gonzaga Kyagaba CEO SAI second left and Betty Namaganda Programme Manager Caritas Left after the consultative meeting.

Environment management and conservation as a catalyst for development flow chart.