CBIRD Uganda Project report
Below is a report from one of our partners in Uganda’s Masaka District, to read more click on header above:
COMMUNITY BASED INITIATIVE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
P o box 643 Masaka, Uganda
REPORT TO WHEELS4LIFE
Background to CBIRD
Community Based Initiative for Rural Development (CBIRD) is a non-political and non profit local organisation Registration No: CD 6280 Ref: CD/MDLG/1051/04. It is a service delivery and research based. It is located and operates within the poor/isolated areas in Masaka district of Uganda. CBIRD is devoted to activities that are directed toward improving the performance of rural primary schools to ensure sustainable development of rural communities. CBIRD engages in reconstruction of rural primary schools, promotion of equal education opportunities for girls and boys, men and women, provision of scholastic materials, supports games and sports as well as well music dance and drama in primary schools, capacity building, research and advocacy as well as poverty reduction.
Vision
Participatory rural community empowerment for improved sustainable development of rural isolated communities.
Mission
To improve academic performance in rural primary schools, contribute to poverty reduction, stimulate growth through participatory approaches and innovations, and community-oriented action programs and interventions for better livelihoods.
Major Aim
To empower local communities through provision of school supplies in primary schools, reconstruction/renovation of school structures, capacity building, donations, networking and advocacy, community-led projects and programs and action research aimed at sustainable livelihoods.
Major thematic areas
· Education
· Infrastructural development and rehabilitation
· Capacity building
· Research
· Health and Nutrition
· Poverty reduction program
Who do we collaborate with?
CBIRD has established good working relationship with the local community, and two US based organisations: The Allen foundation and Wheels4life. Those two USA based charities have played a significant role in helping CBIRD to implement their plans through provision of bicycles and school supplies such as reading aids, sports equipment and other support. Also, computer aid international based in UK and Crossroads foundation in Hong Kong have showed interest to collaborate with CBIRD.
Major challenges
CBIRD, being a newly founded initiative has a challenge of personnel who can offer voluntary service. It is faced with a challenge of lack of funds to run the program activities. Transport is another challenge since CBIRD has no private transport means. Moreover, CBIRD has no computers as well as internet services. CBIRD has not yet found their permanent offices a thing that affects the daily activities.
REPORT about THE BIKES DONATED BY WHEELS4LIFE to school going youths/children and adults in Masaka-Uganda through CBIRD
Wheels4Life, a non-profit charity (501c (3)), accepted to provide bikes for people in need of transportation through CBIRD. This was preceded by an application that was submitted to wheels4life in March by CBIRD expressing the need for bikes for school going children, adults and youths who cannot afford public transport means on a daily basis and who live in places where public means are scarce in Masaka district of Uganda. The bikes that were donated made a significant difference in recipient’s life and many have been helped to jump out of the chronic poverty cycle.
On Monday, 6/22/09, Carmen Freeman wrote informing Jude Muleke the lead coordinator for CBIRD about the money that was wired to Western Union to buy 25 bikes. The money was received in June 2009 and the bikes were purchased in July 2009. CBIRD received US $ 1900 which fetched 3,591,000 Uganda shillings at the exchange rate of UGx 1890= US$ 1.
Each bike was bought at 140,000 Uganda shillings (UGx) which when multiplied by 25 bikes, gave the total expenditure of 3,500,000 UGX. The remaining balance was UGX 91,000 (US $ 48.148). This was kept in the CBIRD treasurer to run other activities.
How the bikes have improved the lives of the recipients
Girls and boys, men and women benefited from the bikes that were donated by wheels4life. Many recipients have been able to complete their primary level and they are using bikes to generate money to further their education. Others have used bikes to travel to schools and to markets where they get money for school fees having sold some of their produce.
These are some of the bikes after they had been assembled by four of the recipients. Some of the recipients knew to assemble bikes. This helped to reduce the costs of each bike.