General Info:
- What is the history of the community? When was it founded and by whom? What issues, conflicts, milestones, etc. have affected it, and how?
Lyantonde was urbanized in the early 1960’s by the Asian population. They came to this area and developed small businesses and trade. At the time, Lyantonde served as the ‘go to’ hub for the surrounding districts; thus, business was lucrative as well as trade due to the fact that Lyantonde is the center of the international road ways. Upon Idi Amin’s ruling, the Asians were forced to leave the country of
- How many people live in your community? Your district? How many counties/subcounties/parishes are in your community?
Lyantonde District: covers five sub counties of Kasagama, Kinuuka, Lyantonde Rural, Kaliiro, Mpuudde and Lyantonde town with a combined population of 66,175-72,000. On average, each sub county has six perishes. Child population: 36,050. Orphan population: 5,571. HIV Prevalence- Lyantonde average 17.8% National average: 6.5%. Poverty level- Rural: 82.8% Pre-Urban Areas: 73% Population with access to clean water: 71.2%.
- What is the average family size?
The average number of people in a family is 6.
- What are the main ethnic groups in your community, and what percentages of each?
Ugandan and Rwandese. Baganda 60%, Banyankole 25%, and Banyarwanda 15%.
- Are there specific areas or neighborhoods in your community? Are there specific groups in each neighborhood?
No
- If there is a problem in the town, to whom do the people go for resolution? Is this different for women than men?
First, the local counsels (LC 1) and the village leader, then to
- What kinds of houses and buildings are built in your community? What materials and labor are needed for building them?
Mud, semi-permanent houses. Mud, sticks, grass sometimes wood. Tools: hands and ladders.
- Is your community known for anything in particular? What and why?
The highest prevalence for HIV/AIDS (Rakai is where it started). Some still have
28% because Lyantonde is an international truck stop.
- Who are the leaders in the community? What are their specific roles, and when did they assume them?
The LC’s (all levels), there are opinion leaders, religious leaders and the elders. Some are politicians and those types of disputes are settled in temporary courts. The religious figures serve as spiritual mentors; some are well standing people within the communities based on their experience, and the elders because of their life experience and respect. The member’s length of duty is continuous and elected periodically.
Religion, Culture and Entertainment:
- What are the main religions and holidays in the community? How do the men, women, ad children celebrate them?
Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and Pentecostal. New Years (Jan 1st), NRM (Jan 26) Women’s Day (8th of March), Easter Monday (April 4th), Good Friday (April 2nd), Labor Day (May 1st), Martyrs Day (June 3rd), Hero’s Day (June 9th), Independence Day (Oct 9th), Idd, World AIDS Day (Dec 1st), Christmas Day (Dec 25th), Boxing Day (Dec 26th). Women prepare big dinners and the men drink afterwards (main holidays) some go to church. All days people are allowed off work.
- Are there any places in your town, or in the surrounding areas, that have special meaning or are sacred?
No
- Who are the religious leaders in your community? What are their roles?
Depending on the religion, the leader of that denomination is portrayed as such. Their roles are to educated people in the community and provide spiritual guidance.
- What are the ideas and attitudes surrounding marriage, wealth, success, death, etc.?
Marriage: In the rural sub counties it is expected that women marry soon and have many children- a person is not a full person until they are married. A married person is very well respected in the community. In the town (Lyantonde) success is viewed by a person attending school, having work (a job), further studies, then family. Wealth: The more land, children and polygamous you are and have, the richer you are. Success: marriage, wealthy with livestock and cows, a good house and children going to school. In the town, if you are educated and have a job. Death: Only the leaders and influential people are missed and mourned (not the widow, small children or poor man) the first question after the death is, “what have they left?”
- What do people in your community do for entertainment? What venues are there for entertainment purposes?
In Lyantonde town, they go out to drink and watch local TV stations. In the sub counties, they tune into the radio. The kid’s just play around outside. The men and prostitutes inhabit local pubs.
- What types of music, art, dance, and theater is conducted in your community?
Local Ugandan music. There is a tribe called the Bahima and they make and weave chairs, walking sticks and baskets. There are local folk songs that are conducted at local marriages and ceremonies. There are some drama and theater but they are mostly supported by the church and do HIV related skits.
- What sports are played in your community? Who plays, and who is not allowed/supposed to play?
Football, it is not usually organized but there are usually pickup versions. Usually, just the youth participate. In the rural communities, the women are not allowed to play because they have household chores to attend to.
Transport and Communication:
- What are the main (and not so main) routes into and out of the community, and where do they lead? Are they passable during the entire year?
Only roads; there is the main highway that goes from
- Who are the main travelers on each side of these routes?
On the highway, it is mostly truckers to the neighboring countries and business vehicles that carry food to
- What are the distances (in km and in minutes/hours) to nearby communities, and to the larger cities?
To the sub counties it is usually people coming to Lyantonde town to shop via boda and private hires. From Lyantone to Mbarara and Masaka it is about 1hour-2hours (depending on the road condition, traffic and police checks). The distance is 71k to Masaka and 69k to Mbarara. From Lyantonde to Kagamba (the furthest sub county) it takes 1:10 and is 45k. The rest vary from 20min to 1 and a half hours.
- For those in small villages, does anyone in the village, or in surrounding villages, own a personal vehicle?
Yes, some will own a private hire to take others to Lyantonde town.
- What kinds of communication are available and when?
Cell phone. In some offices there are land lines and faxes. It depends on the provider and network coverage in the sub counties.
- What are the different media sources (radio, TV, print, town crier) that are/are not available in your community? For those that are available, who uses each of them, and how much do they use them?
Phone, word of mouth, print, radio, TV, all are widely available except the TV- there is no electricity in some of the rural communities. Typically, the men have phones, radios, TV, and buys news papers. The radios are on and listened to almost 24/7. The TV’s are mostly used in the evening when the drinkers come and the phones almost all the time- mostly text not long calls.
Water and Sanitation:
- How many water resources are there?
80 wells and some are near the lake.
- Where are they located?
In the villages, usually in the valleys.
- Who is allowed to use which water source and why?
Everyone is allowed to use them.
- Who manages the water source(s)?
Generally if it is a borehole, then they have water comities. Otherwise it is the local councils that manage them.
- Is there always water available? If not, when are there shortages?
No, there are shortages during the prolonged dry seasons (mid Jan through mid march then mid June through mid August)
- What happens if a pimp or well stops working or giving water?
Then the water user comities mobilize resources and repair the pump; however, if it is a well then they will shift to another that is further away.
- How much does water cost?
It is 100ush per jerry can, during the dry seasons it goes up to 500ush a jerry can. If the water source is a lake or pond of sorts there is no charge.
- Who has priority at each water source?
No one.
- Are there certain people who are not supposed to be at the water source?
The children, they sometimes need another person there to help so that they do not fall in.
- Are there different sources for food/drinking verses bathing or washing clothes?
Not usually.
- What types of latrine facilities are available in public places? In private homes?
In Lyantonde town, there are no public latrines. In the rural private homes they dig temp holes then cover them when they are full or will just relieve themselves outside. In Lyantonde town, most homes have pit latrines.
- What types of garbage/trash is produced in the community?
In Lynatonde town, mostly plastic and organic things. In the villages just organic.
- How do people dispose of each type of trash?
Mix it all up and put it in the rubbish pit and burn it. Sometimes it is thrown on the roads.
- Is the community clean? Are certain areas cleaner? Which areas and why?
In the rural it is fairly clean, in Lyantonde town it is more dirty. There is more things to buy in Lyantonde town (non organic) so there is more rubbish on street that is not easily burnt.
Markets, Supplies, and Food:
- How many markets are in your community? If there are more than one, how is each market different (clientele, size, popularity, etc.?)
Every sub county has one market.
- Is there a particular market day? Why was that day chosen?
Every sub county has its own market and the days that the market is present fall on different days. No reason why the specific days are chosen.
- Are there surrounding markets that are bigger? How much bigger? Where are they compared to your community?
The closest would be in Mbarara and Masaka; the markets are larger because the cities are larger and more densely populated.
- What food items are available on a daily basis? What is conspicuously absent and why?
Daily: cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, sweet bananas, corn (seasonal), green peppers, mangos (seasonal), millet, eggs.
- Where do most products come from? Are they locally made or imported, and from where?
From the sub counties in Lyantonde.
- Are there certain items considered luxuries or delicacies? Why?
In the rural areas: meats (beef, pork, chicken, goat) because they are expensive and readily available.
- What do people eat on a daily basis? What do they eat during celebrations?
Daily: Maize flour, amatooke, beans. Celebration: amatooke, rice, meat (chicken) and irish potatoes.
- Is there a particular food that your community is known for?
No.
- How often do people eat, and what times?
Rural: They eat lunch at 1pm and have dinner around 8pm. In Lyantonde town: People eat at 8am, 1pm, and then 10pm.
- Are there shops that sell supplies other than food? What types of supplies?
Yes: paper, hardware stores, plastics, electronics, clothes/cloth, shoes, toiletries, all basic needs are available in the stores.
- What food/supply items are available in the boutiques?
Dry pasta, tomato paste, bread, eggs, chili sauce.
- What restaurants are there in your community? What food do they offer?
There are many. They all sell: matooke, rice, beans, posho, gnut sauce, meats, chips, sweet potato, Irish potato, chapatti.
- What foods and crops are grown in your community? When are each of these available? What are the cash crops vs. sustenance crops?
Amatooke, maize, beans, gnuts, Irish potatoes, tomatoes (everything in the Market) year round (maize and fruits are seasonal). Cash crops: coffee Subsistence: all food
- Is there much animal raising in your community? What kind of animals? For profit or sustenance?
Yes: cattle and goats- both for profit
- Is there a hungry season? If so, how do people cope during that time?
Yes (the drought) - people have their money saved and buy things during that time.
Economic Development:
- What are the main economic activities in your community? How do people make money?
Agriculture and cattle keeping. They sell their produce or kill the cattle and sell off the pieces; also, the milk from the cattle is sold.
- What do people spend their money on?
Basic needs: food, clothing, shelter and the men in the rural areas spend it on beer. Sometimes, if there is enough it is spent on school fees.
- Identify at least 30 different IGAs (income generating activities) taking place in your community. Who created and runs each of these IGAs? How do they market their products/services?
Fishing, small business, crafts (baskets, mats, African jewelry); employed as carpenters and builders, restaurant owners and tailors. There is a family business of agriculture and cattle rearing (usually men) but for the crafts and small business it is the individual (crafts women). In Lyantonde town, more women own and work at restaurants and small shops but in the rural areas it is the men. Unfortunately, in Lyantonde town, most of the women who are servers do not get paid but are prostitutes (as most of the restaurants are also hotels). People market by word of mouth and make sure that they produce quality products.
- Are there any particular products or services that you community is known for?
Lyantonde town: Prostitution Rural: Cattle keeping
- Where do people keep their money?
Lyantonde town: In the banks. Rural areas: In their homes under their beds or pillow. Usually, they will sell something (such as a food crop or craft) then immediately buy what they need.
- What sources are there for credit?
Rural villages: The circles (they are sub county levels, have members and have savings. They give the savings periodically and they can barrow). Lyantonde town: they have microfinance institutions and banks that give out loans.
- What formal banks, microfinance institutions, SACCOs, etc. exist in your community, and since when? How do they operate?
Lyantonde town: Stanbic, Centenary, Equity,
- How do people perceive these formal banking institutions?
They perceive them as having a high interest rate but have no other option so they still take out the loans. The interest rates are about the same with the banks so they choose a bank based on the application length.
- What types of informal savings and credit groups exist? Who organizes them, and how are they managed?
In every community there are community based groups and they informally give out credit. They have their comities which has chairperson, vice and so on.
- Are there machines available to help with processing/production?
No- except for milk they have the big refrigerators.
- Are products exported from the community? Which ones, and where do they go?
On a small scale- not out of country just to other cities and districts. Vegetables, fruits and cattle. They go to
- What types of taxes do people pay? How much, and to whom?
In Lyantonde town, the small businesses have licenses and are annual (price depends on the size and type of the business and the tax goes to the government). Those who work for formal institutions have taxes deducted from their pay checks (to the government). In the rural areas no one pays taxes except for the business owners.
- What are some challenges that people face in developing IGAs in your community?
Lack of capital, lack of knowledge and skills, and the weather (persistent droughts).
- What can you determine is the level of business knowledge or expertise in the community? What groups have the most/least, and why?
Average. Because it is an agricultural area it is highly knowledgeable but in business not so much. The rural communities have the least experience in business because they are not exposed to it, but in Lyantonde town there are many more businesses because they are exposed as it is a transit town and there is competition.
- What social marketing campaigns are underway in your community?
Advertisement on radio only.
Organizations and Associations:
- What are the different organizations that operate in your community? What do they do, and how long have they been there?
There are about 15 NGO’s. (LADESA, WODP, ECEA, DOH, CPERSON, RACOBAO, UWESO
- How can these organizations be categorized (NGO, CBO, local, international, etc.?)
Most are NGO’s but there are some CBO’s (Widoes and Orphans) no FBO’s or International.
- What community associations- formal or informal exist in your community?
Lyantonde has a forum for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLHA), Boda Boda association, hotel association and the private business association.
- When were these associations created, and why? What are their functions, and who are their members?
Their creation varies. They were all created for a common voice. The members correspond with their titles ie: boda boda association = boda drivers, etc.) They all want a common voice.
- Are there youth associations? How about women’s associations? What types?
In the sub counties, each council has a women’s and children’s representative. Other than that they do not have youth or women’s associations. However, there are women’s and youth groups throughout the different sub counties.
- How do organizations and associations get registered?
At the district level there is a process. There is a leadership, a constitution must be devised followed by a strategic plan then a NGO is created. The NGO then has to register and be approved by the district.
- Who funds these organizations and associations?
Usually partnerships (with NGO’s). My organization, for instance, is partnered with many local NGO’s but receives the majority of their funding from international NGO donors.
- What other sources of funding are available to groups and organizations?
There could be some government money and the organization can generate self income amongst themselves.
Education and Schools:
- How many schools exist in your community, and at what levels?
In Lyantonde town: 5 secondary schools, 11 primary schools, 1 vocational school. In the rural areas (the 8 sub counties) there are 8 primary schools, 4 secondary schools.
- What percentage of children attend school?
In Lyantonde town: 54% attend Rural: 50%
- How many teachers are in each school? Are they mainly en or women?
Primary- 28 teachers (mostly men)- average Secondary- 18 (mostly men) teachers average
- What is the student to teacher ratio?
Primary- 1 teacher to 58 students, Secondary- 1 teacher 45 students
- Are there fees to attend school? How much are they, and when do they need to be paid?
Yes; Primary- 50,000 every term (3months), Secondary 70,000 every term (3 months)
- What are the gender ratios?
Primary- 60 girls and 40 boys (lower primary) 60 boys 40 girls (upper primary) Secondary- 45 girls to 55 boys
- Are there other schools in surrounding communities that teach students from your community?
Yes, some go to Rakai district schools and vice versa.
- Are there vocational schools in your community? How do they operate?
Just one. Training for 2 years; skills training that is applied in carpentry, sewing, brick laying, concrete practice and agriculture. 3 month terms. All who attend are sponsored by RACOBAO or other NGO’s.
- Are there religious schools in your community? Who runs them, who attends?
Yes, most of the schools are religious based. The head teachers are appointed by the government and the teachers are hired by the government. The children who attend are those who are geographically closest; however, there are many families that will send their children even further away to another school that is of their religion rather then a school that near by and not their religion.
- For children who are not in school, why did they stop?
Money, scholastic materials, some are orphans and have no support or guidance, women get pregnant, small amount of girls are told to stay home to take care of the house.
- Are there extracurricular activities offered outside of school? What are they, and how are they managed?
Yes: music and drama, games- football and netball. They are managed by a teacher or some person in the community that stays late and helps. There are some community initiatives (they will organize games and create competitions) and encourage students to participate.
- Is there a Parent/Teacher Association? How is it run?
Yes; every school has a PTA. The head teacher will meet twice annually at the school with the parents and talk about progress, developments and seek ideas from parents.
Health and Health Facilities:
- What are the main health problems that are present? Are they seasonal?
AIDS is the most prevalent. Then there is malaria which is seasonal (more cases during the wet season). There are also cases of communicable diseases such as: Whooping cough, mal-nutrition (intestinal worms), pneumonia, fever, dental and birth complications.
- What types of health facilities exist in your community?
There is a hospital in Lyantonde town. Lyantonde hospital was a health center 4 but has since been upgraded to a hospital. Then there are HC 3’s at sub county level; there are also HC 2’s at parish level- but those are few. In the rural, where there are no health facilities, they will go to the HC 3. If it is serious enough, they will go to the hospital. There are also private practitioners who operate privately and are found in Lyantonde town. Additionally, there are witch doctors and they are found everywhere in the sub counties.
- How many people work at the facilities? What are some of their roles and responsibilities?
There are limited personnel at the health centers. They are always overwhelmed with patients. At Lyantonde hospital they employ 85 people. 70% of them are medical care staff such as doctors, nurses, midwives, etc. 30% of the staff is support staff such as councilors, accountants and cleaning staff,
- Do these people live in the community or do they commute?
At Lyantonde hospital some of them live in the community but 90% of them commute. It is difficult on the holidays because no one is there because they have gone to their homes.
- What services are offered at the facilities? What are the fees?
Family planning, dental, surgeries, theaters. All of the services and drugs are free. The operations and drugs are free because the government pays for them.
- When is the facility supposed to be open and how often is it open?
It is open 24/7.
- What supplies, including medications, are available?
Antiviral, common medicines that is on the list that the government approves, wheel chair, trolleys, bandages, and they have an ambulance but it is not functional.
- Are mosquito nets available for sale? Where else are they available?
No, NGO’s go to through the Ministry of Health and go to the communities to sell or give the mosquito nets away.
- Are condoms available for sale?> Where else are they available?
They are available at the hospital and are free; even in the lower health centers they are available and free.
- Is the area around the facility clean?
Relatively.
- Is there a water source for the facility? Latrine?
Yes- tap, it sometimes runs out. Latrine- yes.
- How many communities does the facility support?
All of the sub counties and some of the surrounding districts.
- Who uses the facility the most?
Women and children. Men hardly ever come.
- What are the priorities of the health facility?
Prevention and health awareness.
- What are the normal treatments that are given?
Malaria, retroviral, and whooping cough.
- Are there traditional healers or birth attendants in your community? If so, have they ever received any formal training?
Yes, there are many and no they have not received any training. Less than 50% of the women come to the hospital to give birth leaving the rest of those women to do it at home or with the help of other women and/or witch doctors.
- Is there a health committee in the village or a management team for the facility? Who keeps the records/budget?
Yes, management. There is a records officer and budgets department.
Other ideas/thoughts you might solicit from the community:
- Do you consider your community to be poor, average or rich in resources? Why?
Lyantonde town: average (they have business and consumers) Rural: poor (they do not have access to land).
- What are the strengths of your community? Who are the respected people in the community? Which people have the most influence?
Agriculture, animal husbandry, and the multiple skills that each individual embodies.
- In your first three months, what things about your village make you the most proud?
The components that make me proud of my community are small things: the spirit that children have despite their circumstance. For instance, the fact that one or both of their parents are dead and they are left faced with the challenge of taking care of their siblings even when most of them are infected them selves. The discipline and convictions that the members of the rural sub counties exhibit, the amount of gratitude that the community shows when given flour or anything else that they are in need of, but most importantly- the children and their perseverance to finish school.
- How would you like the community to develop/change?
I would like my community to develop more income generating activities, to obtain appropriate knowledge that can help them practice safe health behaviors and business skills, as well as to help my organization partner with NGO’s and demonstrate positive communication strategies in order to grow and become a better organization in order to better serve the community.
No comments:
Post a Comment