I just returned from a week on an evaluation team that looked at the work we are doing with one of our Ugandan partner organizations, Katakwi Integrated Development Organization of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church (PAG KIDO). I have been the CRWRC/World Renew consultant to KIDO for twelve years, but soon I will be turning over this responsibility to one of my World Renew colleagues, Edward Etanu Okiror.
I just returned from a week on an evaluation team that looked at the work we are doing with one of our Ugandan partner organizations, Katakwi Integrated Development Organization of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church (PAG KIDO). I have been the CRWRC/World Renew consultant to KIDO for twelve years, but soon I will be turning over this responsibility to one of my World Renew colleagues, Edward Etanu Okiror.
World Renew manages partnership evaluations every three years. Evaluations give us and our partner organizations the opportunity to reflect on what has gone on well, what can be improved, and where our work needs to go in the next three years of our partnership together. This particular partnership is funded in part by the Foods Resource Bank (FRB), and we are thankful for their involvement in the program.
Our evaluation and KIDO’s work for the past three years has focused on two program areas: food security (through agriculture) and HIV and AIDS response. Because all of the people we work with are farmers, the HIV program has a strong agricultural component. And because the region which KIDO serves is still recovering from years of conflict that were followed by floods and drought, KIDO has provided improved seeds to farmers, along with training to help them make the most of what they receive. The seeds are distributed to farmer groups and after the next harvest, the groups each pay back an equivalent amount to what they have received so that another farmer group can be helped to acquire these improved seeds. Some of the groups have also been provided with small livestock, usually female goats. When the goats give birth and after the kids have been weaned, they are passed along to other members of the farmer groups. In this way the loan is repaid and the group members are also put in a position to help others.
The rehabilitation phase of World Renew’s programming with KIDO is coming to an end as the region continues to recover. As we look forward, we will be working with the same groups of program participants, but looking at ways they can work together to deal with the long-term problems and opportunities they face in their communities. They will consider the assets and resources present in their communities and how they can make use of what God has given them without depending on others to provide for them. Variable weather patterns continue to be a challenge, making it difficult for farmers to decide just when to plant in some seasons. Local people and not outsiders are the experts about what works in their communities and on their land. Sometimes they just need some guidance about how to adapt, plan, and innovate.
I have some prayer requests:
- Ebola and Marburg viruses have appeared in Uganda again. Please remember the affected families and communities in your prayers.
- Pray for a successful transition as Edward takes over the responsibility for some of my partners.
- Anthony and Sara Sytsma will be coming to Uganda in 2014 as long-term volunteers, working with KIDO and other partners in food security and continuing education for pastors to better equip the church for community ministry. They were here this week participating in the three-year partner evaluation and will participate in a one-year internship with World Hunger Relief in Texas before coming back to Uganda. Remember them in your prayers as they prepare for this assignment and as they raise the funds needed for their support.
Thank you for your continuing support of World Renew work in Uganda.
Jim Zylstra
Team Leader
World Renew Uganda