Jinja volunteers meeting at Mafubira
June 27, 2009
- Abubaker Basajjabaka
- Ziribasanga Robert
- Bakola Karim
- Lubaale David
- Teega Miriam
- Mulwanyi Eric
- Igadira Daniel
- Benda Benson
- Nakemwero Joanitah
- Mpango.L.Godfrey
- Bukawa Ismail
- Nambooze Peace
- Baganzi Godfrey
- Simola.S. Robert
- Zigwana Cyprian
- Kaagoma Dennis
- Kakaire Joel
- Isanga Richard
- Anek Miria
- Balinkwe Gideon
- Mpagi Nathan
- Muwandi Boniface
- Kalinaki Mathias
- Wairugala Eric
- Mande Sulait
- Mwanga Julius
- Nzalambi Davis
- Wambete Kokasi
- Kawase Christine
- Nakanwagi Josephine
- Ndibaisa Peruth
- Bamugile Diana
Agenda
- Prayer
- Communication from the chair
- Explaining JIVA to new members
- Review or feedback on actions of previous meeting
- JIVA sustainability
- Report on launch committee progress
- AOB
Item 1: Prayer
Anek Miria gave the opening prayer
Item 2: communication from the chairman
Chairman thanked people for having made it and thanked Peruth Ndibaisa for hosting us. He noted that although there were fears that the meeting wouldn’t take place, it was encouraging that the hurdle was jumped to make the meeting a success.
Chairman noted that JIVA was expanding and still moving on solid foundation. He acknowledged grassroots people – Mathias Kalinaki, Boniface Muwandi for having made it to the meeting.
Chairman also welcomed everybody and observed that the reason for meeting in Mafubira was to bring ourselves to the grassroots’ realization.
Although the chairman wished to step aside for a temporary chairperson to take charge, it was observed the intended person—Peruth Ndibaisa, the hostess—was busy with welfare responsibilities. The chairman was encouraged to resume with his duties.
Item 3: Explaining JIVA to new members
Julius Mwanga did the honours of explaining JIVA to the new members. He gave an inspirational brief of the association.
He said that although members were always holding meetings in Kampala, the Mafubira meeting was a special one.
He said that the media was inundated with stories related to poverty but added that JIVA introduced collaboration as a strategy to fight poverty.
He said that JIVA was based on five branches or building blocks,but added that the sole idea was to mobilize a critical mass for a common cause of changing Busoga, through activities as identified below:
a)Environmental concerns
b)Mitigation of gender concerns
c)Education and sensitization
d)Civic education
e)Microfinance
f)Water and Sanitation
Chairman also added that JIVA’s responsibility was to fight poverty and improve livelihoods although scope may change from time to time depending on the challenges that were faced.
He reaffirmed that JIVA wasn’t for Basoga only but for people who lived in the region and had a shared vision of improving it. He said that JIVA’s membership spawned a universe of students, business people and people in the Diaspora.
Item 4: Feedback on actions of previous meeting
Chairman gave a brief about the previous meeting. He said that 41 members attended and that Richard Kakaire was the chairman.
He reminded the meeting that Kakaire raised a wide range of issues but most importantly how to raise funds, which the chairman noted would also solve JIVA’s sustainability concerns.
Richard Kakaire had advised on getting committed to writing proposals as a way of raising funds for JIVA’s activities and also made a commitment that he would help out on introducing activity proposals to possible donors in Canada.
The chairman noted that there were also like minded associations in the Diaspora, such as the one Richard Kakaire headed, that JIVA would link up with. The chairman said he subscribed to Busogayaiffe as a strategy to tap into some opportunities such as the medical equipment that they had promised to send to Uganda to persons with medical background.
a)Proposal writing committee
Isaac Imakadidn’t attend to give progress on committee progress.
Jackson Wante had also promised to post a proposal but he hadn’t. Chairman noted that he had reminded him when they met in Mayuge.
Chairman suggested that JIVA needed to move very first on writing proposals since this would solve sustainability woes. He noted that since some members had finished university, they would commit most of their time writing proposals and making sure they were funded. He said that could also help on the unemployment dilemma currently faced in the country.
b)Legal adviser
It was noted that there was need for legal personsto set JIVA on a firm foundation of law and order.
-Chairman reported that the intended legal person—OpitChris—had called him to say he would attend but he was absent. He appealed that since he showed interest, Opit Chris could be a committed members like some already.
-Wambete Kokas reported that he had consulted a practicing lawyer (Mr. Masaba Andrew) and he accepted to take on as legal advisor, he even mailed him the JIVA constitution for review.
-Karim Bakola—said Mugabi had suggested another person to help out on JIVA’s legal matters. The name of the person was Wafula, who Karim said wanted to meet the executive first before he could proceed.
Action:
- Mr. Masaba Andrew to be reminded by Wambete Kokas on the constitution review
- Karim to mobile the executive to me Wafula
c)Formulating mission and vision
Julius was tasked with the responsibility of coming up with a mission and vision for JIVA. He posted a mission on the mailing list and was waiting for input from members. Mwanga said he looked at the way JIVA would operate and derivedthe mission from there.
Chairman noted that although he was personally busy, there was some input from Banalya. Chairman advised that Julius cross posts the mission for the sake of more input from members.
Action:
Julius Mwanga to post the mission again to solicit for input from members.
d)Feed back from Michael Nsobani
Chairman said Nsobani was in Geneva but said that he was probably finalizing the list.
Action:
Michael Nsobani to be contacted for more details
e)JIVA Registration
Chairman acknowledged Karim Bakola’s commendable job of getting JIVA officially registered as an NGO. He also informed members that in order to secure an NGO certificate an extra-ordinary meeting was called to pass a special resolution.
Karim said NGO board sat and approved JIVA’s papers. He said that it was a matter of time before a certificate would be issued. He reported that the board sat on 25/06/09 and the registration was done and the certificate was to be issued after a month.
Action:
Karim Bakola to keep members informed about the progress of registration.
f)Accountability group
This was supposed to be led by Kigaiga who didn’t attend.
Action:
Kigaiga to be contacted for update
g)Planning activities:
Chairman said that there was a rigorous exercise to identify which activities JIVA would engage in and take to the grassroots. He said that there were already some activities and that concerned parties would give updates.
- Micro-finance—Mwanga Julius
He said preliminary steps had been done and that by the end of the holiday they are supposed to have formed necessary information to beef up literature review, objectives and goals.
He said the mission was also clear, analyzed problem statement, how microfinance would stand, perception people have especially that people were negative about it
He said that in the next meeting the document would have a viable budget, said that he would visit Ziribasanga for input
Action:
Julius Mwanga to share the microfinance document once done
- Gender—Anek Miria/Dennis Kagooma
Anek said their presentation was a combined effort that was concerned about fact finding gender in relation to livelihood aspects in the region. She called upon Dennis Kagooma to give the presentation.
- Dennis Kagooma said their work looked at how gender impacts on communities in relation to farming, how gender relations affect production based on the output/input model
- He also said that their presentation looked at resource sharing and how benefits were shared
- Noted that gender based violence existed with women being on the receiving end
- Kagooma said the aim was to find missing links
- He noted that gender was not respected because inequalities existed in all aspects such as land/capital
- Also said that their research found out that roles and responsibilities were being relinquished to women—fees, health, feeding of families etc
- Kagooma said that intervention needed to address the aspect of equal participation of both men in a wide range of aspects
- Advised that sensitizing communities on mitigating gender relations was crucial and critical
- Kagooma noted that JIVA needed to embark on career guidance in order to address the gender biases that existed. He said that although stereotypes existed, there was need to encourage women to take up hardcore courses.
- Dennis said that what they had done so far involved fact finding and a lot was identified by linking gender to agricultural production, input-output relationship, resource sharing, missing links for example gender is not respect in decision making, inequalities that exist in terms of access to and use of resources, how gender share agricultural benefits and escalating negligence of men’s roles like paying school fees.
- Various areas of intervention for example to ensure gender equality and equality in decision making, sensitization, family policy formulation, control over strategic resources in a home, rights, addressing gender based violence in homes, empowerment and career guidance were tackled.
Action:
Gender committee to share their proposal once it was finalized
- Environment –Kakaire Joel
Kakaire Joel said they focused on climate change.He reported that they had found an opportunity on the internet (Frontline Forum).
He said that the deadline of handing in proposals was July 15, 2009.
Joel Kakaire said they were working closely with Eriya Serwajje.
- Career and guidance- by Isanga Richard
He said that the presentation and proposal was formulated on the basis that Education as the best investment.
He added that the career guidance committee intended to go to the grassroots to inform parents that education was the best way to go if poverty was to be reduced.
Isanga said that their research was done in Luuka, which is likely to become a district. He noted that in Luuka, children ended up in sugarcane plantations.
He disclosed that the committee intended to help students choose the right careers. He said that the committee would visit Irongo, Bulongo and Nawampiti sub-counties. He added that at least three schools would be visited per sub-county.
He said the committee should help school administrators improve performance. He noted that Luuka only got 5 first grades in PLE. He divulged that he visited Kiyunga SS and the headmaster agreed to host JIVA and that he was willing to provide logistics for the team.
Isanga noted that his committee was under staffed. He said there were only three active members
He said that some funds like transport were need, introduction letter etc
He said that there was need to create awareness of the benefit of education
Need to work as a team, need to sacrifice if we have to register success
Matters arising
Issue of identification raised
Wambete Kokasi suggested that of all the projects present, there was lack an agricultural project since about 80% of the population in Uganda depended on agriculture as a source of livelihood.
Chairman noted that issues of identification hinged on formal registration of the association but said that letters of introduction could be issued.
Chairman also noted that there were no comments returned on the logo that had been posted on the mailing list for input from members
Action
Letters of introduction to be provided to whoever is involved in activities, Mr. Ziribasanga offered to process identification cards, stamps and headed letters
Id cards to be processed as soon as registration and logo issues were finalized
Chairman to post logo for comments
New members to join committees of their choice
Wambete to head the agriculture committee
Final document to be shared once finished
Item 5: JIVA sustainability
Vice Chairman (Ziribasanga Robert) spearheaded the discussions since the chairman was busy somewhere else.
VC said it was important to get a database of members and formalize it.He also talked about registration of members of JIVA.
VC said subscription and membership would specifically be for fundraising purposes and not for discriminatory reasons. VC said that JIVA still maintained the concept of one man one vote irrespective of contribution.
VC said that there should be qualification of being a member and suggested that criteria needed to be devised for membership.
VC said that cash contribution to JIVA should be according to ability and capability.
Give everybody opportunity to bring ideas. Suggest something for discussion, let’s get the whole idea in place, get full ideas and we agree on various ideas.
Matters arising:
Karim inquired about membership and subscription fees as a form of sustainability
Balinkwe Gideon: 5,000/= subscription and 5,000 registration
Isanga Richard: -3,000 subscriptions and 7,000 registration
Kakaire Joel: Talked about various categories like students and working class to have different fees.
Let us agree to have membership which is stratified. Stratify contribution into gold -50,000sh, silver -10,000sh and bronze -20,000sh or even platinum-100,000/= and above.
At this time we are looking at how to raise money and we should look at this as a fundraising tool
Membership is not a share
For fund allocation there is need for maximum organization to run the association
Bakola: Talked about voting rights (privileges)
Standardized payment of 30,000sh
It was also suggested that if you pay bronze or gold then no registration fee
Kaagoma Dennis: Standardized privilege and make payments different
Mulwanyi Eric: Structure of membership for example one can pay more membership fee like super gold, silver can be paid every year.
Bukawa Ismail: As we think about categories we should not forget our objectives because we need to concentrate on the main issues, this is a voluntary organization to empower the community
Lubaale – let’s take a vote
Muwandi Boniface—need to differentiate between the two—subscription and membership. Otherwise if we combine them there will be confusion.
Abubaker Basajjabaka: Seeking funding for JIVA activities should be factored in as a sustainability strategy. Funded activities will solve the unemployment dilemma currently faced.
Lunch break at 2:50pm after lunch meeting resumes but another team heads to Nalinaibi
Item 6: Launching committee – by Nakanwagi Josephine
She reported that they sat on 28/05/09 and suggested Kakindu Stadium as the venue for the launch and other activities
Committee to come up with a poem, skit or demonstration to present on day of the launch
Dressing code (T-shirts proposed colors cream and white)
Matters arising
Mr. Ziribasanga Robert advised the heads of projects to call upon children from schools around and task them to come up with something in line with their projects relating it to JIVA’s objectives and what it is all about through their head teachers.
He also advised members to buy JIVA T-shirts in the course of the launch at a price which will be communicated later.
Mwanga Julius promised that he would present a paper on that day about“who am I?”
Need to launch JIVA officesbefore the launch
Matters concerning the venue on whether we should have it at Kakindu or just make a drive through town and sum it up in Kyamagwa, this was a very sensitive issue that raised voices. It is to be put online for further discussion
Action
Kyamagwa premises in Mafubira presented as JIVA offices
Chairman to discuss with the launch committee in order to come up with good suggestion on the venue
Item 7: AOB
There is need for someone to come up with a proposal on good governance. Anek Miria said she will contact Lagwe Tonny (0782856934) on this.
We should process documentation on what JIVA is in form of a magazine or a report.
Communication from the LC chairman-Kyamagwa
-Welcomed members and assured them of security
UDECU–Representative
-Gave thanks remarks to JIVA
-He said JIVA should look for areas that concern people and should involve AIDSproject in our activity plan.
-Called upon members to attend a workshop for UDECU on 5th September.
Nakanwagi Josephine
-Have a launch in Jinja and stop all continuous process
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