A SELF HELP GROUP (SHG) INITIATIVE PROPOSAL

About the Organization: [maximum 1000 characters] Briefly describe your organization. When was it founded? What is its mission? How does it relate to the issues you seek to address? What are its main activities? Who is it that you serve? How many members do you have?

The organization was founded in 2008 in Wakiso district of Uganda.  Mission is to train, support and advocate for good governance for sustainable, efficient and effective service delivery.  The proposed project will train women groups 15-20 using Recorded Video in local language to enhance empowerment.  Educating women to save and invest enhances good governance.  Self Help Groups (SHGs) ideology to be explained and the learning of productive crop and animal husbandry.  Main activities: 3 Resource persons writing manuscripts and recording; Producing 2 DVDs each of 2 hours; Formation of women groups; Viewing DVDs in Local Video Halls then discussions. We serve school children and civil society.  124 members.  

What We Have Done: [maximum 2000 characters]

Previous projects: Please describe two projects that you have previously implemented, and the results.
How long did the project last?
What were some challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

Ssisa Women Functional and Numeracy Literacy Training was designed to teach women literacy skills in Arithmetic, Reading, Writing and Conversational English together with Business skills.  On two agreed days a week, women were getting a hands-on training for 3 hours for 9 months.  Women acquired basic literacy and entrepreneurial skills.  Training started on 15th February and ended on 18th October 2011 and it was being done on Tuesday's and Friday afternoon every week.  The project objectives were: To teach women who cannot read and write; To them with business skills to enhance income generation; To use the opportunity to know their rights; To empower them to make better advised decisions for their betterment.  The project outcomes: The number of women who can read and write increased by 60; Had their businesses better managed; Reporting reduced dependence.  Challenges faced included keeping time, on average half the trainees would arrive 30 minutes after starting time; 2nd, the irregularity in that women domestic chores at times kept them away.  We however encouraged women to try their level best to be on time, and before starting a new lesson, we would start off by revising the past work.  Demystifying Human Rights (DEHURI), involved 10 primary schools in Ssisa Sub-county.  The project was meant to create awareness by the children of the schools regarding Human Rights issues, more so that Uganda is dotted with Human Rights abuses.  The objective was to have children with ample information on Human Rights so that they are eventually able to make educated and safe choices on human rights.  We wanted the children to be building blocks of a strong civil society after knowing their inalienable rights.  The project was in the course of 1st and 2nd term of 2011, a total of 1,058 children benefited.  Challenges: Having appointed time interfered with by other school program; we could not have the candidate class because of the schedules, had Primary 5 and 6 in all school

What We Want to Do: [maximum 2000 characters]

Briefly describe your proposed project and how it will benefit women/girls in your community.
Please include the following information:
Where in your country will it be located?
What are its objectives?
How do you plan to implement it?
What are expected outcomes and how will they benefit women, both during and following the project?
How do you plan to sustain the project in the future?

We are to use Video Recording by 3 Resource Persons’ to train women using the local Luganda after having them in Self Help Groups (SHGs) of 15-20 members, which will be used as a vehicle to enhance women out of poverty.  One trainer will explain the concept of SHGs and how they go about business.  The 2nd will handle profitable crop enterprise management, while the 3rd will teach scientific Animal husbandry management.  Each trainer will have 2 DVD recordings of 2 hour duration, hence a total of 6 in all.  Each DVD to be viewed in part by women groups from local video halls making it 2 viewings to complete, after which group discussions shall be held.  The project will be located in Ssisa sub-county of Wakiso district.  Objectives: To use recorded DVD training to bring out the concept of SHGs with the idea of enhancing group savings and empowerment; Use DVD to teach scientific animal husbandry to disadvantaged women.  Implementation to start with writing of manuscripts by 3 resource persons and eventually recorded using video, after which DVDs shall be made, each trainer will have 2 DVDs of 2 hours duration.  Women shall be encouraged to form convenient groups of 15-20 members.  They will view DVDs from local video halls for an hour (making 12 viewings) after each viewing they will hold facilitated meetings to better understand the content; group savings to be enhanced.  Outcomes to include: 12-18 women groups of 15-20 formed; Understanding the concept of SHGs and having women using it to make regular savings; borrowing savings to help in wealth creation; Women understanding scientific crop management; learning profitable management of domestic animals.  The major benefit: To have it as a vehicle to get women out of poverty and to equally know their rights.  Cultivating the savings’ culture is the major driving force that will empower them to move on as they will find themselves able to sustainably generate income from borrowed group savings invested.