ACTIVITIES
In every financial year, FUCYDA implements a multiplicity of activities depending on its work and strategic plans. However, the most important focused activities covered include the following:
(a) Community mobilization.
(b) Community sensitization.
(c) Research on youth sustainability and development in urban and rural areas.
(d) HIV/AIDS prevention, care and counselling.
(e) Use of Bio-mass cooking fuel saving stoves.
(f) Environmental protection and management.
(g) Micro-credit finance programmes for youth and women in Uganda.
(h) Vocational skills training.
ACHIEVEMENTS;
I]. Mobilization as a baseline; so far FUCYDA has implemented a number of activities using the already available resources. This has enabled it to expand its working areas and to successfully attract more affiliated community groups of women and youth as target beneficiaries. This has been used by FUCYDA as its baseline foundation in implementing and achieving its over-riding objectives and goals. A number of community groups have been mobilized placed at 260 groups with over 6000 members who are already affiliated to FUCYDA in Sironko, Pallisa and Mbale Districts where it operates at the moment.
II]. Sensitization: to FUCYDA this has been the second phase of its implementation programme involving Community Volunteers in Education in Sironko, Mbale and Kapchorwa Districts. This is clearly seen in the fields of:
a) Agriculture: where over 1025 households have been sensitized in agricultural programmes that is to say crop farming, bee-keeping, horticulture, vanilla, moringa and neem tree growing.
b) Solar Power; households visited in Sironko were sensitized about renewable energy-solar power, biomass cooking fuel saving stoves which women embraced and demanded its urgent implementation in the area. As a move to promote solar systems by FUCYDA, several systems have been installed in many places of Mbale, Kapchorwa, Moroto, Sironko, Tororo and Pallisa Districts.
c) Group Formation: Communities were sensitized to form into groups as a channel through which any development resource can be delivered to the beneficiaries.
III]. Networking; FUCYDA networks is with sister NGOs like TASO, Private Sector, AIC, ICR among others that help in the implementing process and monitoring through a collaborative working policy where different development ideologies are shared. This is through seminars, workshops, and individual consultations among others.
IV]. Research was carried out in Mbale Municipality where 400 respondents were interviewed, among them the youth and women, literates and illiterates, those working and jobseekers. This was intended to identify;
Ø Their levels of income.
Ø Employment status.
Ø Their sustainability
Among the problems identified in the research were;
(a) Employment; most youths boys/girls are exploited in all aspects of their life style.
(b) The majorities were below the poverty line due to limited capital resources.
(c) The level of illiteracy was high where some know only one native language.
(d) Early school drop-outs due poverty, parental negligence and domestic violence have contributed to rural urban migration and early marriages.
(e) Young girls are forced by circumstances to sex and unprotected abuses hence furthering the spread of HIV/AIDS. Some of the effected intend to spread and die with many.
STRATEGIC PLANS;
i). HIV/AIDS Project;
FUCYDA is focused on behavioral change amongst the target beneficiaries i.e. the youths and women as a mechanism towards preventing the HIV/AIDS scourge spread. This will not only affect the individuals positively but also the community at large, as it will enable the full participation in community development. FUCYDA also encourages and supports voluntary counselling and testing [VCT]
ii). Modern Agriculture;
FUCYDA broadest activities in agriculture will include the provision and promotion of modern agriculture techniques in the communities e.g. improved crop yield, modern bee-keeping, honey processing and marketing, proper storage facilities and markets for the various products.
iii). Solar Energy;
Youths will be trained in both the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy; its installation and maintenance, and there after market it.
Biomass: the community will be trained in the use of energy saving stoves; this will stop de-forestration and promote afforestration in the communities.
iv). Peace Building Programmes;
Beginning from the grassroot levels to national level, FUCYDA will participate in;
a) Conflict resolution.
b) Training in conflict intervention.
c) Family counselling to avoid domestic violence, child abuse etc.
d) Schools out-reach programmes to avoid strikes.
e) Promote morals and decency.
v). Human Rights;
To promote this, FUCYDA will;
a) Advocate mechanism for human rights.
b) Address child-labour in urban areas and other places e.g. housemaids, waiters etc.
c) Address people with disabilities, human rights to also participate equally in development areas.
CHALLENGES/OBSTACLES;
At the moment, FUCYDA is encycling in a number of obstacles that have hindered the effective implementation of its projects, these include;
a) Logistical support.
b) Lack of enough funds to finance its programmes and projects.
c) The community lacks information technology and dissemination in order to benefit from their inputs.
d) Lack of skills in different areas of sustainability and eradication of poverty.
e) Illiteracy levels in the community that hinders progress in development.
