Summary
All people have a right to life, but this right is threatened when communities get affected by floods, drought and famine.
Of late, famine has been reported as a social problem in some parts of Uganda, with Karamoja sub region being worst affected. Otuke District lies in the Eastern part of Lango Sub region and borders Abim District in Karamoja Sub region. With the Karamojong influx in Okwong Town Council in Otuke district, more than 15,000 people in the District were hit by famine that claimed the lives of at least 2 people.
Lango Civil Society Network is committed to human rights protection and when citizens die of hunger, the need to respond is urgent.
Together with a large number of stakeholders, emergency rations were collected and distributed, while the group also helped the affected population regain independence in the medium term and somewhat further into the future.
Tips and lessons learned
1. People are always willing to help for charity as long as they understand the cause.
2. Choice of team. The team at the frontline was credible and had a good reputation in the community. This further encouraged people to give since they trusted the people mobilising the food items. Use of youth, who were able to use bicycles to distribute to some areas.
3. Frequent meetings: This enabled the team get feedback and strategize.
4. Support from media with daily updates encouraged people to give to the cause.
5. Different approaches like football match, road drives, radio appeals, one to one appeals to factories engaged the community more towards giving.
6. Availability of data at the District offices on the magnitude/numbers affected by famine. We had go on ground to do research to find out the magnitude so that we could collect enough items.
7. Politicisation : Top politicians in this area thought that the collection drive was a political move from opponents.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
This is an example of what a community is capable of accomplishing in times of emergency. Confronted with drought and famine in their region, Lango Civil Society Network took the initiative to come to the aid of the worst affected. In only a short period of time they managed to mobilise and distribute relief goods worth 163.500.000 Ugandan shillings. Less than a quarter of this sum was donated in cash. That makes this a great example of in-kind fundraising. The 'Tips and lessons' learned are also worth looking at. They describe the elements that turned this campaign into a success , but also the difficulties that you face in a situation like this.
Details
Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for
Lango Civil Society Network was established in 1998 as a voluntary umbrella Non-Governmental organisation (NGO) to represent Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lango sub region. Lango Civil Society Network is a membership umbrella organisation and has a total of 150 member organisations that are actively doing work in Lango.
Lango Civil Society Network was formed with the aim to promote networking, coordination and sharing between member organisations and the district local governments, to improve governance and accountability, mobilise resources, advance the empowerment of communities and promote advocacy for community rights and poverty reduction.
Short description of the project or programme the funds were raised for
Otuke District, in the Eastern part of Lango Sub region, has recently been hit by famine, claiming the lives of at least 2 persons. Lango Civil Society Network championed the process of mobilising food items for the 1.500 most affected people: persons living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses, disabled persons, children living in child-headed households and the elderly.
Summary of fundraising action
To save Otuke community from famine, a committee was formed through a cooperation arrangement that brought together a cross section of development partners, business communities, local government, members of parliament, media, local artists, companies and local leaders to plan, mobilise funds and food items and distribute them to the affected populations.
The committee conducted road drives and football matches between Lango and Busoga regions. Phone calls and radio talk shows were also used as means of mobilisation.
Objectives
1. Immediate relief for 1.500 persons affected by famine in Otuke.
2. Providing medium- and longer-term solutions like providing seeds to plant after this dry spell.
Targeted donors
1. Individuals
2. Companies
3. (Local) government, Local Council members
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (UGX |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
163,500,000 |
42,605 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
1,000,000 |
261 |
| Net amount raised |
162,500,000 |
42,344 |
Accounting details
The committee successfully mobilised
- 40,000,000/- cash
- cassava stems worth 70 million
- 5 radio stations gave radio airtime; 7 times of 2 hours each@ 3 million; to a total of worth 21 million
- a vehicle that carries loads above 12 tons was given for free, to transport food items to the community for 2 days
- 13 tons of food (beans, posho and cooking oil) – value of donated food: 32,500,000
Description of preparatory work
1. Strategy meeting with district leadership and CSO leaders.
2. Fact finding mission by LACSON, REDCROSS, Paul Cares Uganda, Lango Youth Development Network to find out how many people were affected.
3. Organised food appeals.
4. Mapping out potential business men to be at the front line for food appeals.
5. Organising Road Drives.
6. Wrote letters of appeal to factories.
7. Organised football matches with 50% of proceeds going to the Otuke cause.
Description of implementation
The beans and maize flour were distributed as an immediate response strategy, while the cassava stem cuttings were meant to meet the long-term food needs of the affected people. In addition, an intermediate response has been initiated through mobilisation of short gestation period agro seeds such as white beans and peas.
Follow up: Donor appreciation and acknowledgement
Through the already established relationship with the Radio stations, after the distribution of food items we went back on air to appreciate all that donated and to also give accountability.
Plans to repeat the action
This was a one-off operation
