Below is the Arua District Report on the Survey for establishing the level of Awareness and Knowledge on Millenium Development Goals. ACTIVITY AREAS (Sub-Counties) included: Oluko, Oli Division, Ajia, Ogoko, Rhino Camp and Rigbo targeting 10 - 15 Community Members in each Sub County. The date was 20th April 2009.
Q1. People’s understanding of development was basically change for better economically, socially, politically, infrastructural development and reduction of illiteracy. Others looked at development as having more or increment in all aspects. A small thing multiplies to create much.
Q2. Activities mentioned by communities as items to foster development were mainly:-
(a)
- Construction of Classrooms in schools & building of teachers' Houses
- Opening of Community Access Roads
- Health Centres
- NAADS Programme
- GTZ Programmes in Rigbo & Rhino Camp
- Hygiene and Sanitation Programmes
(b). These activities were tagged to development for the following reasons.
School classroom construction was seen as a useful tool that solved the problem of inadequate classrooms hence providing comfortable learning conditions that can enable the future leaders' generation acquire knowledge and skills for better livelihood. All the communities interviewed showed that education is the key to success.
- Community Access Roads were looked at as items that make communication easy.
- Farmers who produce in bulk can easily be accessed; the road network connects villages for easy transportation of people goods and services.
- Health centres were looked at as centres for repairing health such that people have better health hence adequate time for development issues and poverty eradication.
- Hygiene and sanitation programmes in Rigbo and Ogoko were said to ensure better health and avoidance of common intestinal worms and infections like cholera and meningitis.
- The communities looked at NAADS as a venture to eradicate Poverty through training of farmers on Garden preparation, crop planting, weeding, harvesting and post harvest handling and group marketing.
Communities also termed NAADS as promoter of improved technology, supplier of improved seedlings and animal husbandry.
- In Sub Counties of Rigbo and Rhino Camp, GTZ was accorded as a supplier of high breed goats and seedlings. A store for farmers’ produce was also built at Rigbo Sub County headquarters by GTZ for safe storage and bulk/group marketing.
Farmers mentioned that most development activities were done to improve communication, health, education level and reduction of poverty.
Majority of community members are aware of development programmes in their jurisdictions and they tag these activities to development.
Q3. Few people have heard about Millennium Development Goals and the few who have heard do not entirely know what the MDGs is all about.
Out of the six Sub Counties visited, In Ogoko a young man gave a rough idea on the MDGs. In Rigbo out of the 10 people in the focus group three had fair ideas on MDGs. In the remaining four sub counties of Oluko, Oli Division, Ajia & Rhino Camp the communities knew nothing and had never heard of Millennium Development Goals.
The MDG goals were explained to the interviewees and when asked if there will be development in their jurisdictions if the goals are achieved.
A general consensus was reached, and all persons interviewed looked at poverty, environment, health & education as the stumbling blocks to development, once realized can lead to livelihood improvement, socially, economically, emotionally, politically and in all other aspects.
On how best awareness can be created on the MDGs, the suggestions were:-
- Through massive sensitization of communities during church services, evening gatherings market days and any vital public gathering
- Intentional move to get Trainer of Trainers (TOT’s) to spread the gospel of MDGs
- Need to train key stakeholders, Sub county Leadership, parish level leaders, LC 1s Religious and opinion leaders was emphasized for easy spread and knowledge of communities on the MDGs.
- At Sub County, parish level meetings are to be conducted for that purpose.
- Introduce it as a subject/teach MDGs in schools mostly from upper primary.
About the role of community in MDGs the following was mentioned.
- In general members who attended the focus group discussions looked at themselves as persons who could take the lead in spreading the MDGs.
- Parents agreed to take Universal Primary Education serious.
- Husbands confessed their lack of cooperation to their expectant mothers and promised to change if health and livelihood is to improve for mothers and infants.
- Hardwork, personal effort to eradication of poverty and hunger was also advocated for.
- Leaders who attended the discussions promised to spread the MDGs and educate people to work towards what is expected of them by 2015.
- Political Leaders vied for ensuring financial transparency and accountability value for money in all activities intended to benefit the rural poor.
Conclusion:
Though communities are aware of development programmes, most do not tag the activities to MDGs and they do not know what is expected of them in the remaining six years (2009-2015).
Therefore much emphasis be put to sensitise communities on Millennium Development Goals and community roles in the activities be clearly spelt out if the MDGs are to be achieved by 2015.
