By Marko Taibot

The Bishop of Ma’di and West Diocese, Rt Rev Bishop Collins Andaku, has called up education stakeholders to support the sector to eradicate poverty and ignorance in the community. The Bishop made the call while presiding over the 20th anniversary of Mummy’s care Nursery and Primary in Adjumani. The Bishop lauded the proprietors of the school for investing in education observing that it would go a long way in transforming the lives of many people both refugees and nationals in the district.

“This is the best investment done for the people in this land, an institution where you are investing for the future of our land, an investment which is going to fight ignorance, fight poverty and moral decadency in society,” Andaku said. He added that “there are many people who are investing in things that destroy mankind, but this school is going to transform lives of many in the region.”

The Bishop also challenged the parents saying they are very key to the success of the education of their children before appealing to parents to always teach their children to be God-fearing as a core value of being successful in life.

Mr. Onesimus Dralega, the proprietor of the school while addressing the stakeholders pointed out that 20 years ago, reading with proficiency was a challenge and even learners in Primary Seven were struggling to read during examinations.

“I was one day invited as a chief guest to celebrate the best performance and at that time the best candidates passed in division three, and the whole district performed very poorly, we then said what could be done to improve performance, I did a pilot study and asked the authorities of the town council to allow me to start an early learning center,” Dralega said

He also noted that at the time they opened the school, there were only 4 learners and that brave parents had risked sending their children to them but now they boast of more than 500 with about 40% of the learners being refugees.

The Adjumani District Chairperson, Hon. Ben Anyama, applauded the school founders for opening Mummy’s Care Primary School which according to him has helped in decongesting some of the government schools that have high enrolment due to the presence of the refugees.

“Our schools are now congested, the classrooms are not even enough, the private sector has done a tremendous job by opening the private schools,” Anyama said.

According to the Head Teacher of the school, Mr. Justine Alule, the school has been performing well because of the motivation of the teachers, effective time management, and consistent study habits. The school started presenting candidates in the Primary Leaving Examination in 2015 when the school had no examination center number where 32 learners were presented and 27 passed in the second division and 5 division in three. Adjumani district has got 172 primary schools and 134 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres. Celebrating 20 years of academic performance is a significant milestone for Mummy’s Care Primary School. It is a proud moment for the entire school community, including learners, teachers, and parents. Such achievements reflect dedication and commitment to education.

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By Bazio Doreen.

82% of refugee households in Adjumani face mental health issues commonly referred to as ‘riak-nhom’ (disturbed mind) in Diinka (The most prominent South Sudan Language) according to findings in a 2021 Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Baseline Assessment report done by Alliance Forum for Development (AFOD). A 2021 World Bank study also stated that refugees in Uganda are ten times more prone to experience depression symptoms with incidences much higher among females. As some of the victims share their experiences, it is now evident that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and other partners in Adjumani have created hope away from home for refugee women and girls facing mental health issues especially due to limited access to basic needs.

Beneficiaries’ testimonies.

One such beneficiary is Christine Kiliha who used to be among the 14% of refugees in Adjumani who abuse drugs. Kiliha, 36, a South Sudanese refugee living in Pagirinya, married, mother of 8, reveals that she started abusing drugs after failing to cope with the challenges that come with having a husband who is less supportive amidst the ever-dwindling food ration and limited access to other basic needs. Unfortunately, Kiliha, only received help from Lutheran World Federation (LWF) after she had miscarried and was in dire need of psychosocial support. All this was happening amid memories of how she almost lost her life when she first got pregnant at 13.

“I got pregnant at the age of 13 but out of fear to disclose, I continued to do manual labor until my father discovered my secret. My father threatened to kill me and I had to stay away from home for two months. I started marriage on a bad note and am now worried that my daughter is already facing the same at 11,” Kiliha narrates.

For Dudu Betty, 37, a widow, South Sudanese living in the Borooli settlement, and mother of 4, it was tough to cope with the sudden loss of her husband to a fatal accident. This she recalls made her have a miscarriage because she couldn’t take the thought of having to suddenly fend for her 4 children and the other 3 that her husband had brought into the home when they got married. This burden was however lessened when she attended group sessions organized by LWF with other widows.

“I was stressed and confused because I had just lost a stepson who was s supporting me and my husband fend for the family,” Dudu recalls.

Nabwire Martha, a clinical Psychologist with LWF, observes that they try to minimize relapses of beneficiaries into depression disorders by giving out financial grants to some of them. She also observes that this has enabled the women to become more productive because the project also empowers them to identify sources of income/livelihood. Those who were previously stigmatized are also supported to gain back their self-esteem in the community. In 2023 alone, LWF reached out to 2,902 women with funding from UNHCR and 553 women with support from other partners. LWF works in all the 19 refugee settlements in the district. However, as NGOs empower women, this comes with negative effects too. There is a risk of Gender-Based Violence, as many men feel that they are ignored or left out. The stronger and braver women leave their husbands to fend alone for the family.

Mary Candia, 44, a South Sudanese refugee from Kajokeji, widow, and mother of 7, left her husband who she reveals wasn’t supporting her to meet the family’s basic needs. She has since decided to resort to farming and doing casual work as a source of income. She also adds that the charcoal business had progressed but old age has now caught up with her and she can’t do much.

“After I lost my husband, I decided to get another man but I was forced to also abandon him because he wasn’t supportive. He couldn’t even fend for the 2 children that I had for him. When you don’t have money, it is easy to think about suicide. But that has since changed after receiving counseling. I use the little money I get for basic needs because I can’t afford school fees” Candia says.

Sr Alice Bunia, the officer-in-charge of Mental Health at Adjumani General Hospital, states that the district records at least 2,000 cases of mental health disorders and about 10 cases of suicide each year.

For Drania Unichi, from Nimule – South Sudan living in Maaji settlement, and married with two children, the case is quite different. She was abandoned by her husband when she was just 6 months pregnant. This was after they fought because he wasn’t supportive even while he is a farmer. She now does casual work and hairdressing to support the young family.

According to Alice Azunyo, a Child Protection Assistant – World Vision, under a 3-year (2022 – 2025) project funded by the Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they have reached out to 492 refugee women in Mungula and Maaji refugee settlements. Under the Problem Management Plus (PMP) Program, beneficiaries from Child Protection and VSLA engagements are identified to benefit from mental health sessions where they share their problems and possible solutions for advice and scrutiny. Alice also observes that due to the PMP program, there has been a decrease in cases of Gender Based Violence because women learn techniques to calm down emotions not only their emotions but those of their intimate partners. There has also been a decrease in child neglect and child abuse due to improved livelihoods, and reduced alcoholism. Women usually mistreat their children because they fear to attack their husbands/men.

This is very likely for women like Anzoa Gift who get married when they are helpless or vulnerable. Anzoa, 21, a South Sudanese living in Pagirinya, married with one child, was chased away from home after it was discovered that she was being courted by a boy. Unfortunately, she ended up with a man who wasn’t worth the effort. Her husband was shortly arrested for defilement. At the time, she was pregnant and had to start selling snacks to be able to start paying up the loan of her husband while he served his sentence and negotiated with the family of her co-wife. Abortion thus became an option but she was counseled out of it under a project by Tutapona, a mental health-focused NGO working in Adjumani.

“After my husband was arrested for defilement, I was so depressed because I felt so alone. I felt abortion was an option because I had entered marriage unwillingly,” Anzoa explains.

According to Asienzo Agnes, a Mental Health Field Facilitator, since 2014, Tutapona has run 3 projects in Nyumanzi, Borooli, Ayilo, Olua, Pagirinya, and Agojo settlements through a gradual process of psychosocial support and awareness, mentorship, referrals, exhibitions, and counseling that is needs-based. In 2023, they reached out to 191 women out of 340 beneficiaries.

Other interventions.

Indeed young people like Anzoa need innovative ways of helping them break barriers on mental health issues. Right to Play (RTP), an NGO working in Pagirinya settlement, Adjumani was creative enough to improve the skills and capacities of refugee and host community youth to support their psychosocial well-being and mental health through enriched access to safe sport. With funding from the Olympic Refugee Foundation, between August 2020 and July 2023, RTP in a consortium of 4 other partners has reached out to 11, 668 vulnerable youth between 15 – 24 years, in 4 refugee hosting districts through soccer, and netball. In Adjumani, RTP has enrolled 168 females, created 7 youth spaces, and 12 groups, done 12 home visits, and established 18 sports clubs.

In other similar projects, the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) and UN Women, between 2016 and 2020 implemented the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy project with about 28,225 women and girls’ beneficiaries receiving counseling, training on positive coping mechanisms and life skills after screening. Jesuit Refugee Services, another NGO, in 2023 also supported 1,387 women out of 1,744 beneficiaries to improve resilience, psychosocial well-being, and positive coping mechanisms to come to terms with past traumatic experiences and future shocks through training, sensitization and emergency support in thematic areas of child protection and Sexual Gender Based Violence. In a project that started running from December 2023 and ends in August 2025, Emesco Development Foundation has also so far treated 299 women out of 528 beneficiaries during the 36 out of 80 outreaches so far conducted in Agojo, Alere, Oliji, and Elema settlements.

Adjumani hosts about 244,374 refugees in 19 settlements. 85% (182,977) of the population are women and children.  55% of the 1,500,000 refugees living in Uganda are from South Sudan. The Refugee Response Plan (RRP) 2019-2020 emphasizes the reinforcement of MHPSS services and infrastructure as a key priority. However, according to UNHCR, as of October 2019, the RRP was funded at only 39%. Earlier this year, partners started joint efforts in Maaji and Ayilo settlements in Adjumani to be able to meet an increasing demand for mental health services. AFOD, an NGO that has been working in Adjumani since 2016 has also received funding under which they acquired 10 acres of land in Rende Village, Adropi Sub County, to construct a Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre. 

Government effort.

In April 2022, the Ministry Of Health (MOH), Uganda drafted and validated the first national mental health strategic plan (2022 -2026) which seeks to among other functions strengthen mental health response and provide comprehensive, integrated, and responsive mental health care. The subject of mental health has gained increased attention in recent years, with most initiatives focused on attempts to decentralize and integrate mental health into primary health care. Unfortunately, there are only 53 psychiatrists in Uganda, most in urban areas. The Mental Health Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) working group in Kampala has been operational and meeting monthly since May 2019, with similar groups established at the settlement level. However, despite some positive reforms in Uganda’s mental health landscape, according to MOH the prevalence of mental health problems remained as high as 30% as of November 2023.

This story was published in partnership and with funding from Baraza Media Lab, Kenya.

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By Bazio Doreen.

A new 5 year (2022 – 2027) project funded by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and implemented by the Legal Aid Service Providers Network (LASPNET) is expected to strengthen the Criminal Justice System and the ability to respond to organized crime and related threats in Adjumani. It however focuses on extremist violent crimes and abuse of drugs. This is key because only 80% of Ugandans can afford a lawyer and only 10% have access to the services of a lawyer. All this amidst the absence and pending approval of the National Legal Aid Law.

While launching the project on 24^th July 2024 in the new Adjumani District Council hall, LASPNET CEO, Dr. Sylvia Namubiru Mukasa, said that they recognize the role played by the local government and commended the district leadership for demonstrating readiness and commitment to achieve the project objectives. She also explained that while they submitted a budget to UNODC timely in August 2023, funds were only sent in June 2024.

While responding to the comment, the District Chairperson, Hon. Anyama Ben, observed that the intervention is timely as the district continues to grapple with dwindling funds to support both refugees and their host communities. He also observed that most of the support towards justice processes is mainly funded/implemented by NGOs and commended them for their efforts.

On his part, the PACAO, Mr. Edema Richard thanked LASPNET for choosing Adjumani to be one of the 20 districts where the UNODC project will be implemented. He also appreciated LASPENT for donating 3 bicycles to support those who will be involved in the implementation of the project.

Established in 2004, LASPNET is a national member-based non-governmental organization that has 56 LASPs spread across 80 districts countrywide. LASPNET also has a wide network of members and partners that include: Uganda Law Society, Law Development Centre, Justice Defenders, and Hague Institute for Innovation of Law and Justice Centre Uganda.

The project outcomes include: strengthening mechanisms for court administration and case management; increasing access to quality legal aid services for the vulnerable; promoting of alternatives to imprisonment; crime prevention among the youth; and protecting the economy of Uganda from illicit financial flows and money laundering.

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By Bazio Doreen.

Before you visit a remote village in the Pearl of Africa; you could easily assume that more than half of Uganda’s population have access to electricity as households in major cities do.

Far from this assumption, the truth is that only about 30% of Ugandans have access to electricity. While this presents a huge market potential for alternative technologies like solar PV systems to provide electricity, those in need may not be able to afford it.

The story of a blind man.
One such vulnerable person is James Iranya, a South Sudanese Refugee from Kajokeji now residing in Elema Refugee Settlement. While Iranya is a father and has the task of providing for his family of 5, his disability (partial blindness) deters him from doing many jobs.

This is perhaps how he settled for being a caretaker of Elema Community Center. At the center, James is lucky to tap into opportunities that many times are channeled through the leadership that sits at this place. That is how he received a solar lamp from EMESCO. The solar panel not only helps him charge his lamp but he is also now saving money for his other needs.

“Previously, we used to spend 500/= shillings about 4 times a week to charge 3 phones that we have in the household. But now we save this money and use it for other basic needs.” James reveals.

When the lamp is fully charged. It serves two purposes. James’s family uses it to light their house at night and also for studying/reading by those still in school. In a refugee setting, where the education provided is just basic; it takes a lot for one to make out good what they are taught. But this would require more studying especially at night and perhaps doing assignments given.

Who else benefitted?
James is among the 500 Persons of concern who were supported by EMESCO with solar lamps. The categories of beneficiaries included; Gender Based Violence survivors, Persons with Disability, Older persons at risk, separated children, and single mothers among others.
Sustainable Development Goal 7 envisions that there will be improved access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services for all by 2030 which is in line with Uganda’s Vision 2040.

The Government’s policy vision on energy in the National Development Plan III (2021 – 2025) is to increase the proportion of households with access to electricity from the current 30% to 80% by 2040.

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By Bazio Doreen

Many people agree that menstruation is indeed a normal phase of a girl’s life but few people acknowledge the challenges it comes with for the one who has to go through it every month because people interpret differently the onset of the cycle. In a traditional Adjumani community, a girl in her menstruation period was not allowed to live in the same home with her mother as she would be seen to be a woman herself now. However, with formal education and the ever-changing dynamics in culture, this opinion is slowly dying away.

Team Work.

According to Gloria Matapkwe, 17, a Primary Six pupil at Ajugopi Primary School, Menstrual Hygiene in her school and the community has improved as all children are now aware of it.

The children manage their menstruation by themselves without the help of the teachers and the elder children help the young ones to manage theirs properly.

Gloria also observes that girls no longer miss classes due to menstruation but now the boys and girls in her school now have the skills of making reusable sanitary pads and how to manage menstrual hygiene.

“Boys no longer laugh at a girl whose uniform gets stained with blood. But they rather do help the girl who is in trouble.” Gloria says.

Gloria also reveals that from the trainings provided by EMESCO children in her school have now learnt skills such as sewing and it has become a source of income and livelihood.

“The money which I would use to buy disposable pads now is used to buy something. And also I can make the pads for myself and I sell some to other people to get money. Before EMESCO came in, girls were spending much of their money to buy sanitary pads monthly which sometimes they cannot afford to buy thus missing school” Gloria describes.

Involvement of boys.

On the other hand, Iceta Norbert, 15, a Primary Six pupil at Ajugopi Primary School, the increasing rate of school dropout was due to embarrassment by boys which made the girls shy and decide not to come to school.

He rates the menstrual hygiene management at his school at 90% owing it to the trainings by EMESCO on menstrual hygiene management and how to make reusable sanitary pads.

“As a boy, I have learned the skill of making reusable sanitary pads for my sisters at home. I no longer laugh at the girls whose clothes get spoiled with blood but I rather help them. I can also make the re-usable sanitary pad and sell them to any man.” Iceta Norbert said.

Before the coming of EMESCO, Iceta Norbert reveals that he did not know menstruation happens to every girl. He used to tease the girls who underwent their menstruation because he thought they were ready for marriage.

Involvement of teachers.

Masudio Rosemary, a teacher, at Ajugopi Primary School, says EMESCO has contributed a lot to menstrual hygiene at the school by teaching them how to make emergency re-usable sanitary pads in addition to providing disposable sanitary pads and soap for girls in the school.

“Before EMESCO, girls were facing difficulties in purchasing sanitary pads. Parents were unable to provide them with sanitary pads which made them miss classes because of periods and some dropped out due to lack of sanitary pads as they feared to be laughed at by the boys at school when their clothes got spoiled with blood.” Masudio Rosemary explains.

Masudio also observes that before the coming of EMESCO, some girls were asking for money from their boyfriends to purchase the sanitary pads. They did not know how to make reusable sanitary pads. But now both boys and girls know the good materials to make the sanitary pads and they make the pads by themselves.

“The children act as role models. They even train the parents at home on how to make the reusable sanitary pads.” Masudio Rosemary explains.

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By Doreen Bazio,

It is about 9:10 am when we arrive in Oliji Refugee Settlement which is a 15-minute drive from Adjumani Town. The situation in our destined home brings both pain and joy. I find Sabina, a resident of this settlement having breakfast with her 3 daughters and 5 grandchildren. They are having a mixture of beans and maize commonly/locally known as; ‘Anyoi’.

Anyone could tell that this might be the most important and affordable meal for this family. Maybe even as a routine. More than just a woman struggling to fend for her family, Sabina presents herself as a courageous woman when she later tells me a story of bravery and passionate motherhood.

In 2013, the civil war in South Sudan forced Sabina to leave the youngest country on the continent after she abruptly became a widow. This is how she was inherited by a Hajji (moslem man with many wives) relative of her husband. Little did she know that this marriage too wouldn’t last.
Although he was an alcoholic and irresponsible husband, Sabina was willing to stay with him for the sake of marriage but only if he would stop beating her. But this never stopped. The disagreement that consequently always led to the fights was about intimacy. Sabina had a chronic illness and doctors had advised her to tread carefully when it comes to conjugal rights. Sabina had 3 children with her first husband and 2 with the second.

When Sabina couldn’t take the beatings anymore, she decided to leave her husband in Alere Refugee Settlement in another Sub County where they had first been resettled when they came to Uganda. She moved on along with her teenage daughters.

This decision however came with far-reaching implications as she later found it so hard to afford school fees. This meant that her daughters would spend a bigger part of their time at home and thus conceiving was inevitable. But this condition equally took a toll on her, she lost her self-esteem and confidence.
However, this recently changed after attending sessions conducted by EMESCO through Gender Promoters. EMESCO has reached out to about 5,000 persons of concern on messages about Gender Based Violence through 100 trained Gender Promoters.

From these sessions, Sabina has regained her confidence and self-esteem. This was unlike before when she used to live a miserable life out of self-pity due to the domestic abuse she was going through. Sabina says she is now empowered and feels better because of the advice she received from the sessions.
Sabina also says that because these sessions are done jointly, the community now feels responsible for uplifting and protecting survivors of Gender-Based Violence. This motivation has helped Sabina start life all over again by doing odd jobs so that her extended family can survive.

Sabina now hopes that she will thrive and look after her family with the support of her community which she feels understands her better. This is how gender promoters are ensuring that protecting of especially women against GBV is a communal rather than a personal responsibility.

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By Bazio Doreen.

Each year, an estimated 358,000 women in especially developing countries die while pregnant or giving birth and 2 million newborns die within the first 24 hours of life because of inadequate or insufficient health care. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, each day approximately 800 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth – meaning that a woman died around every two minutes. Observers say these statistics could be lessened if midwifery services are prioritized or upgraded. Uganda has made strides!

According to the 2022 Uganda Demographic Health Survey, recently (2023) released, maternal morbidity reduced from 524 (2001) to 189 (2022) deaths per 100,000 live births. This is mainly because development partners have joined the government in its effort to improve health service delivery at all levels. This is important because Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.1 is to reduce maternal mortality to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.

The situation in Adjumani.

According to Lulu Henry Leku, the Assistant District Health Officer in charge of Maternal Health, among the 36,000 deliveries registered in Adjumani District in the last three financial years (between 2020 and 2023), only 7 maternal deaths occurred. For a refugee-hosting district where resources are usually meager, what has then been the magic cure?

As a patient narrates her experience, you realize that the solution lies in not just ensuring that all that is required is available, but putting in place dedicated staff with a passion for bringing life forth.

For Chandia Stella, a refugee, and mother of three, the experience of labor is always new. There might be some experience but it never means expertise. As fate would have it, Stella and Harriet met in the labor ward as strangers but left as friends.

Harriet Agwang is a midwife recruited by EMESCO Development Foundation, an NGO supporting health service delivery at Agojo HC II, Agojo Refugee Settlement, Ciforo Sub County, in Adjumani District. She has served there for only 10 months as per the project. But in this about a year, Harriet has touched the lives of many.

Difficult moment.

Harriet’s competence was put to the test when in the middle of the night, Stella was due for labor but had complications. But she had more to worry about, there were 5 other mothers in the ward and they all needed her attention. Stella stayed all night trusting that God would come through for her. At least she felt, she was in the best care.

Harriet dozed off and lay beside her waiting and monitoring her progress. Looking back, Stella says she felt sorry that Harriet had to sleep by her side without any mosquito net. She feared that they might survive the battle to bring her son to the world alive but Harriet may have contracted Malaria. But she stayed strong and thanked God that she had met a good nurse on duty on her expected day of delivery.

Regains faith.

Stella had met Harriet before and heard good things about her passion for work, but they had really never been in a difficult situation together for her to experience it. Besides, she believed that that was her routine work and was probably paid to do so. But she was now more impressed about her human side. She could have decided to go and have a rest in her bed as they waited. Hours later, her son was delivered but the complications continued. She had lost her faith but her son won the battle and still continues to live.

Intervention by EMESCO

Stella is one of the 866 women who received pre-natal consultation services and delivery care. These were offered at Alere and Agojo HCIIs through the recruitment of a midwife at each. According to Stella however, Mothers at Agojo HCII just like in many other parts of the district, suffer from many other challenges ranging from the small delivery beds to the lack of reliable ambulance services and unstable electricity supply.

Harriet who also worked during COVID-19 observed that SOPs were greatly hard to manage for mothers and that could partly explain the high numbers of maternal mortality rate at the time. However, the Ugandan government has since learned its lessons and is now doing better.

Future.

For refugees, UNFPA works in partnership with the Ministry of Health to improve delivery care by strengthening health systems; and training health workers, in particular midwives who are then recruited to work in some of the most hard-to-reach parts of the country like Adjumani and other refugee hosting districts.

According to the State Minister in charge of Primary Health Care, Hon. Margaret Muhanga, the Ministry of Health in Uganda has also been able to ensure that 85% of the population has a 5km radius of a health center. The Ministry of Health also established a system that allows them to identify and categorize women at risk, as well as to continuously monitor and ensure their continued care through pregnancy mapping done by the village health teams and volunteers (partners).

Every year, Uganda hosts the ‘Safe Motherhood Conference’ as an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in delivering the different components of safe motherhood and also provide inputs in the key agenda and campaigns focused on improving maternal and reproductive health in the country.

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By Bazio Doreen and Nancy Aol

Residents of Adjumani Town Council and Ukusijoni Sub County are optimistic that the new Resource Center constructed in their area and the Leisure Park constructed in Adjumani Town Council under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Additional Financing (USMID-AF) is going to spur economic and social development.

The construction of the facility valued at shs 1.52 billion at Kiraba Parish that commenced in May 2023 is now standing at 98% completion rate. The contract was awarded to Weko Engineering consultants Limited.

Mr. Patrick Nyanda, a resident of Kiraba parish in Ukusijoni Sub County attested that, this is the modern facility the sub county is getting after waiting for so many years.

“We are very happy to the Government, and the World Bank for this facility. Instead of moving for more than 15 kilometers to look for similar facilities for meetings and conferences, we shall just walk in to this facility and have our activities here,” Nyanda stated.

Nyanda appealed to the young people in the Sub County and the surrounding areas to take advantage of this facility to develop their talent.

Mr. Moses Jibi, a refugee from Maaji I Refugee Settlement, is also happy that the facility presents them with an opportunity to attend meetings and events in a modern facility instead of makeshift structures of any other improvising.

“This facility is one of the best facilities so far, NGOs have been inviting us for trainings but most times we had these trainings under tree, or under temporary structures, this facility has now solved that problem,” Mr. Moses reveals. 

Mr. Francis Mindra, the Senior Assistant Chief Administrative Officer (SACAO), Ukusijoni Sub County, says the modern facility has the capacity to host meetings, conferences, social events like wedding, traditional marriage, cultural galas and trainings.

“We shall be hiring out this facility to generate revenue for the sub county, the facility has all the components like toilets, Kitchen, street solar lights and others,” Mindra said.

According to Hon. Mangapi Lawrence, the Town Mayor, Adjumani Town Council, was able to secure a Leisure Park worth 1.2 billion which includes; walk ways, change rooms, showers and water borne toilets, gardens and perimeter walls.

Afayo Nick, the District Engineer, has hailed the contractor for following contract instructions to the dot and attesting that the Leisure Park project is one of the best executed contracts under USMID which also needed less supervision because the Company was up to the task.

Hon. Anyama Ben, the District Chairperson, who doubles as the Secretary for Works and Technical services, also says he is satisfied with the way the contractors delivered the land project and hailed him for the technical workmanship which has attracted praise from town residents and visitors.

The Leisure Facility according to information obtained from the office of CAO will be used under the public private partnership so that the district will be able to monitor and supervise the tenderer accordingly and ensure absolute value for money and smooth sustainability.

The Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program is designed as a Program-for-Results (PforR) program building on the Local Government Management and Service Delivery (LGMSD) program- a performance base grant (PBG) program which was piloted by the Bank under the first LG Development Program (LGDP I) in selected districts and later scaled nationally to cover the entire LGs system in Uganda with funding from the Bank and other development partners.

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By Bazio Doreen and Marko Taibot

A section of the refugees from Maaji I Refugee Settlement, in Ukusijoni Sub County, Adjumani District, have hailed the Government of Uganda and the World Bank for heeding to their cry for a better road that connects them to many service points.

The 20.59km Kulukulu-Zoka road that is worth shs 2,231,356,352/= is funded by the World Bank under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Additional Funding (USMID-AF) that started in June 2024 and was intended to end on December 31^st, 2023.

Moses Jibi, 65, a refugee who came to Uganda in 1994 attest that, in the past, the road was in bad state rendering it impassable during rain seasons.

“The road had a lot of potholes, it was very difficult to take sick person especially at night due to the bad road, at least this time we are able to transport our goods, movement is now easy,” Moses noted.

Zainab Baako, another refugee from Maaji I also explains that the road has been a threat especially while transporting pregnant women to deliver at a health facility.

“In the past, due to poor roads, we have lost babies on the road, but we are now happy that we have got a very good road finally,” Zainab reveals.

Mary Abe, 34, also notes that the road will now help them when it comes to referrals to other health facilities.

“Ukusijioni is a remote area with poor roads and this obviously affects referrals especially during the rainy season when the roads are in a terrible state,” Abe notes.

Mansur Alumai, a peasant farmer from Bekeri Village, Ayiri Parish, Ukusijoni Sub County, observed that the road will help them transport their produce to the market.

“We have been selling our produce cheaply because the road was very poor, now we are beginning to enjoy the road, for many years we have been in trouble particularly during rainy season,” says Alumai.

Hon. Dominic Arambe, the LC III Chairperson, Ukusijoni Sub County, during an interview told journalists the people of Ukusijioni said the good road was long overdue because so many of them were facing challenges in accessing basic social services.

“My prayer is that farmers can now have access to their farm and increase productivity, and the road can transform them economically. Our people are still very poor,” Arambe stated.

He also added that they are targeting the second phase of USMID and other government programs like DRDIP, to open more access roads to farms and other social service points.

The 20.59 kilometer road rehabilitation was awarded to BLD Construction Company limited. Eng. Fred Ijjo, the Site Engineer working with BLD observed that, the road has a guarantee of two or three months which he notes will help improve services.

“We have done the work according to the design that was given, we have a defect liability period of three months that ends by February 2024,” Ijjo said.

Mindra Francis, the Senior Assistant Secretary (SACAO), Ukusijoni Sub County, acknowledges that the road rehabilitation is one of the kept promises and priority of the sub county that will help connect refugees and nationals to many service point.

Mr. Nick Afayo, the District Engineer, says that the road is almost 98% complete and it’s expected to be handed over in January 2024.

The Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program is designed as a Program-for-Results (PforR) program building on the Local Government Management and Service Delivery (LGMSD) program- a performance base grant (PBG) program which was piloted by the Bank under the first LG Development Program (LGDP I) in selected districts and later scaled nationally to cover the entire LGs system in Uganda with funding from the Bank and other development partners.

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By Bazio Doreen and Taibot Marko

Farmers in Adjumani District, including refugees, have been urged to take advantage of the multibillion-dollar market that has been constructed under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Additional Financing (USMID-AF) project in Kiraba Parish, Ukusijoni Sub-county, Adjumani District.

Mr. James Lowgenya, the Dzaipi Sub-county Agriculture Officer, notes that the Kiraba market has the potential to become a regional market due to its strategic location but only if farmers in the area take advantage of the new market to empower themselves economically.

“Most times, farmers are cheated by the middlemen who end up getting a lot of profits. This is the time for farmers to take advantage of this market so that they avoid the middlemen,” he said.

According to Mr. James, most of the farmers in Adjumani grow maize, simsim, rice and soya beans, but lack market for their produce. Initially, traders were struggling under dilapidated structures, sheltering under trees and during rainy seasons, the market was suspended. The traders also lost their goods to rain and theft because there were no secure places to keep them. 

Mr. Mansur Alumai, a Farmer in Bekeri Village, Ayiri Parish, Ukusijoni Sub-county, attests to this. He observes that many farmers are now likely to earn more from their trade because they will even have an opportunity to store and sell at the same time.

“This market is going to help us because we don’t have stores to keep our produce, and the market has some stores. We are happy that we shall start selling our produce at better prices. I have been getting about Shs4m from sale of cassava and Shs3.5m from rice. With a proper market in place, I expect to earn more because I know the buyers will also increase.” Mansur boosts.

Mr. Dominic Arambe, the Ukusijoni Sub-county Chairperson, says that they are lucky to have been allocated this market, because his Sub County is the only one that has so far been allocated one under the project.

Arambe also observes that this market will attract a lot of farmers and produce dealers from West Nile and Acholi sub-regions and it will be a link to Juba due to its strategic location.

The market is funded by the World Bank at a cost of Shs2.6b, and has capacity to accommodate more than 1,000 traders. The project is expected to be completed by the end of January 2024.

The Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program is designed as a Program-for-Results (PforR) program building on the Local Government Management and Service Delivery (LGMSD) program- a performance base grant (PBG) program which was piloted by the Bank under the first LG Development Program (LGDP I) in selected districts and later scaled nationally to cover the entire LGs system in Uganda with funding from the Bank and other development partners.

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