By David Siriri, Team Leader

In the Ruhiira cluster, a community consultation process revealed key development challenges that formed the basis for strategic interventions. Construction of clean water sources, rehabilitation of health units, and development of banana marketing cooperatives were among the initial key priorities. Water sources for domestic consumption were heavily contaminated and distantly located from households. The health care system was dysfunctional, having inadequate and unmotivated staff and lacking medicines. Community members relied on traditional healers and birth attendants for their health care needs. Banana growing was major economic activity, but the poor marketing structures favored middlemen. Moreover, access to service centers like markets was constrained by the mountainous landscape with very few motorable roads. School construction and the introduction of school feeding program was another key priority. Despite the existence of universal primary education in Uganda, the school drop-out rate was very high and school structures were poor and inadequate. Many households could not afford two meals a day due to fuel wood shortage and during heavy rains, the bare hillsides lost vast quantities of rich soil.

The Ruhiira Millennium Villages project has made progress, but some challenges remain while other opportunities emerged. Despite the construction of clean water sources, access to water is still constrained by the mountainous landscape. Construction of a piped water scheme in now a key priority and connection to grid power will be required to run the piped water scheme. Also, the long travel distances to market centers renders Ruhiira products less competitive. The team now prioritizes value addition through agro-processing and growing of crops for niche markets such as specialty high altitude Arabica coffee. In addition micro-irrigation will be used to support off-season production of high value crops like ginger.

Strengthening the work of community health workers (CHWs) in monitoring households, management of minor ailments, and referral of patients to health units is a new priority. CHWs will also be involved in a comprehensive campaign to increase utilization of family planning, antenatal and postnatal services. Increasing nutritional security of households will be emphasized through agricultural diversification and cooking demonstrations. In education, the key priorities are to ensure delivery of quality education and work towards complete community take-over of the school meals program.

To this end, the MVP will support professional training of teachers, strengthen government support supervision, and increase the promotion of school gardens. Finally, the team will focus on further strengthening community participation and increasing government involvement to ensure that project activities are strongly reflected in the government development frameworks.