Integrated Community Learning For Wealth Creation (ICOLEW)
In order to promote innovative ways for Adult Literacy Service Delivery optimization and in line with National Adult Literacy Policy Framework, the Ministry in partnership with DVV International is piloting a successor programme to FAL code named Integrated Community Learning for Wealth Creation (ICOLEW) to promote community level actions to reduce poverty in the districts of Namayingo, Iganga and Mpigi.
This will initially be for a period of two years covering six sub-counties and 60 community empowerment groups reaching out to 1,800 learners under the five components of literacy and numeracy; village savings and loans; skills training; business development and community development linkages.
Introduction:
It’s a two-year pilot program running in 03 districts of Mpigi, Iganga and Namayingo.
The program goal is to contribute to GoU efforts of wealth creation by undertaking integrated learning and training strategies at household level. It targets non and semi literates from 15 years.
Objectives are:
Enhance literacy and numeracy skills; strengthen capacity of participants to access micro finances; increase the involvement of the rural poor in government program that seek to raise household incomes; and enhance public sector capacity to respond to identified community issues.
Coverage:
The program is in two pilot Sub counties of:
Kammengo, in Kanyike Parish in all the ten villages- i.e. ten Community Empowerment Groups (CEGs); with an average of 30 (thirty) participants per group.
In Buwama Sub County, there are two pilot Parishes of: Sango – six CEGs and Jjalamba four CEGs; again, one per village. Total number of CEGs is 20 with close to 600 participants. (as per program design)
Program components:
They are five, namely: enhancement of literacy and numeracy skills; formation of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA); Community development initiatives; vocational skills training; and business skilling.
Uniqueness of the program:
-integrates implementation of reading, writing plus numeracy with support to creation of livelihoods based on issues raised, discussed and agreed upon by the participants.
-It has deliberated integration of delivery of services by other departments such as agriculture and health
Progress in year one:
- a) All the planned twenty CEGs were established and are functional; with increasing social bonding.
- b) A total of 600 participants are in the process of enhancing skills in reading, writing, and numeracy (in Luganda) linked to the issues in agriculture production, environment conservation, water and sanitation.
- c) All the participants in the 20 CEGs have saved and borrowed money. By December 2017, the CEG with the highest portfolio was at Shs8,000,000 while the lowest stood at Shs 1,000,000.
- d) In the majority of villages community development activities (self-help) such as clearing of water sources, maintenance of community roads; have been done after engagements with Extension Workers from the respective departments.
Plans for 2018:
- Implementation of components: 4. Vocational skills training and 5 business skilling based on demands on the market.
- There will be the establishment of community learning centres as a hub for information that will sustain enhanced literacy skills and hence promotes lifelong learning.