Integrated Community Learning For Wealth Creation (ICOLEW)

Programme

Introduction
The Integrated Community Learning for Wealth Creation (ICOLEW) Programme, implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development in partnership with DVV International (Uganda), currently in 6 districts.  The programme aims to stimulate demand for and sustain continuous and lifelong learning in communities and targets the low literate, neo-literate and semi-literate youth and adults. The programme integrate literacy and numeracy with livelihoods and life skills, attitudes change and competencies for personal, household and community development. It is aligned to the National Development Plan 3, Social Development Sector Plan as well as the Parish Development Model

Goal and Objectives

Goal
The programme goal is to empower youth and adults with no or limited literacy and numeracy skills to actively participate in the development processes

Specific Objectives

The programme aims to achieve the following specific objectives:

1. To enhance adult learners’ literacy and numeracy skills and their application for socio-economic transformation;
2. To improve infrastructure for integrated adult and lifelong learning;
3. To strengthen the capacity of the institutions to effectively implement the programme
4. To build the livelihood and business skills of learners to engage in gainful production
5. To increase access and utilization of microcredit services to  learners
6. To strengthen linkages of Community Empowerment Groups/literacy groups to other development programmes
7. To establish and operationalize Community Learning Centers as one-stop centers for knowledge, skills acquisition, application and integrated service delivery

Target Beneficiaries

• Youth and adults (15 years and above) with limited literacy and numeracy skills, semi-literate, or marginalized.
• Members of households of learners, and surrounding communities which host the Community Learning Centers (CLCs).

Program Components

• Literacy and Numeracy Skills acquisition and enhancement: Functional reading, writing, and numeracy.
• Village Savings and Loans Association promotion: Promoting savings, borrowing, and investment in businesses. Emphasis is placed on record keeping to promote financial literacy.
• Livelihood and Business Skills Training: Enhancing the capacity of learners to increase their incomes through technical support experts towards their economic activities.
• Community Learning Centers (CLCs): One-stop centres or hubs for promoting continuous education, lifelong learning as well as integrated service delivery across sectors.
• Institutional Capacity Strengthening for effective and efficient delivery of services at all levels

Coverage:

1. Pilot phase 2016-2019

Implementation of the programme started in 2016, on a pilot basis, in 4 districts of Mpigi (Kamengo and Buwama sub-counties), Namayingo (Buyinja and Banda Sub counties), Iganga (Nawanyingi and Nabitende sub-counties) and Nwoya (Alero and Koch Goma sub-counties).

In 2019, a process review was conducted to assess the effectiveness, relevancy and sustainability of the ICOLEW programme. The study revealed that the pilot phase of the Programme was a success. A total of 2,271 learners (682 male and 1,589 female) successfully developed competencies in reading and writing their local languages, alongside basic numeracy skills. This newfound literacy has boosted their self-esteem and confidence, enabling some to secure positions on Local Councils and Women’s Councils.

The establishment of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) has fostered a culture of savings and investment among learners. In the three years, CEG participants collectively saved Uganda shillings 421,200,700, with significant savings reported each year. Additionally, 80 Community Empowerment Groups (CEGs) embraced formal banking by opening group accounts in financial institutions, further supporting their financial inclusion activities.

Nine Community Learning Centers (CLCs) were established across four pilot districts, transforming into hubs for lifelong learning and integrated service delivery. These centers offer a range of services, including training, community information, health promotion and outreach, and recreational activities, effectively addressing various community needs.

Furthermore, the implementation of 80 Village Action Plans (VAPs) and Group Action Plans (GAPs) has positively impacted the socio-economic well-being of participating communities.

Summary of ICOLEW programme statistics over a period of 5 years

Summary of the number of Community Empowerment Groups (CEGs) ICOLEW learners, completers, and facilitators.

1. Scale Up 2020-2022

Building on the success of the pilot phase, During the financial year 2020/2021, the MGLSD Top Management recommended the nationwide roll out of the ICOLEW programme. During the same year, the ministry embarked on the process of generating a project idea to access mainstream funding to roll out the ICOLEW programme under the Support to Implementation of ICOLEW (SUICOLEW) through the establishment of Community Learning Centers. The project is in the final stages of approval i.e. project proposal stage.

The four pilot districts scaled out to two more sub-counties in each district i.e. Kituntu and Muduuma sub-counties in Mpigi district; Buhemba and Buswale Sub counties in Namayingo district; Nakigo and Nambale in Iganga district; and Purongo and Anaka sub-counties in Nwoya district.

• Roll- out

With the SUICOLEW project in offing, DVV International in their funding phase for 2023-2025 has supported the MGLSD to reach out to two more new districts of Rukungiri and Mityana, Nyakagyeme Sub-county and Banda Town Council respectively, to implement regional model CLCs. The regional model CLCs are in the four major regions of the country to support the rollout of the CLCs and ICOLEW Programme countrywide. The Regional Model CLCs are a one-stop center for accessing integrated services across the sectors; continuous education and lifelong learning.

Uniqueness of the programme implementation modality:

• The programme operates through existing government structures both technical and political at all levels; national, HLG, LLG, Parish and Community level.
• The Learning Process is issues-based
• It integrates reading, writing and numeracy with support to livelihoods based on issues raised, discussed and agreed upon by the participants.
• There are committees at all levels to oversee the programme implementation to ensure integrated service delivery
• It has deliberate integration of the delivery of services by other departments such as agriculture and health, environment, and water, among others.
• The CLCs act as a one-stop center for the promotion of continuous education as well as lifelong learning and therefore promote linkages and networks.
• CLCs provide a platform for the delivery of other cross-sectoral programmes thus aligning with the Parish Development Model
• The roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders are well defined in the programme guidelines. Non-State actors are implementing the programme using the implementation frameworks provided.

Achievements:

2023. Development of the Non-Formal Adult Learning and Community Education Strategy (NALCES) as a framework to provide guidance and direction for the implementation of Adult Learning and community education in the country. The NALCES was Launched during the ILD celebrations for 2023.
2024. Commenced the process of developing the Uganda Qualifications Framework for Adult Learning and Community Education (UQF-ALCE)

• Established 4 Regional Model CLCs in preparation for the country rollout of the model. Mityana for the central, Nwoya for the North, Namayingpo for the East and Rukungiri for the Western region. The Regional Model CLCs are in addition to the 9 CLCs established during the scale-up period

1. Professionalization of Adult Education in response to capacity building needs5 experts in adult learning and education graduated as Curriculum GlobALE (CG) Master Trainers following a full year of training in the five (5) Modules of CG. The 5 people are from MGLSD, Makerere University, Nsamizi Institute of Social Development and DVV International. The master trainers are in the process of developing modules to cascade the training to managers, supervisors and Community Facilitators.
2. SUICOLEW Project pre-feasibility and feasibility study reports have been approved and the project proposal for the project has been submitted for the project to get a code for mainstream funding under Financial Year 2025/26.
3. Graduated over 5,504 learners graduated in 4 LGs of Mpigi, Iganga, Namayingo, and Nwoya since 2016, 70% of whom are females. The learners have acquired and are utilizing the literacy and numeracy skills acquired in their day-to-day lives.

• Self-esteem and confidence among learners. Learners and facilitators have been elected to leadership positions at different levels.
• ICOLEW has promoted a culture of savings among learners. VSLAs continue to provide opportunities for complimentary community economic development models including cooperatives (SACCOs).

1. ICOLEW Learners are benefiting from PDM SACCOS
2. COLEW continues to promote integrated delivery of services.
3. Strengthened partnerships and networks between government MDAs, CSOs and CBOs established at different levels

• The 13 Community Learning Centers (CLCs) established in the 4 LGs continue to act as multi-disciplinary points of convergence in communities for integrated service delivery
• ICOLEW groups continue to provide platforms for linkages to other development programmes like YLP, UWEP, OWC and other development programmes.
• After graduation of learners, most CEGs have transformed themselves into CBOs

Future Plans

1. Roll out the programme countrywide under the Support to Integrated Community Learning for Wealth Creation (SUICOLEW) project. The project is in the final (5^th) stage of the project cycle processes i.e. Project Proposal awaiting for budget appropriation.
2. Strengthen programme coordination structures at all levels for optimized service delivery

• Professionalize adult educators at all levels for quality provision of ALE services

1. Develop the Uganda Qualifications Framework for Adult Learning and Community Education to accredit and certify the learner achievements and provide pathways for learners
2. Support Non-state Actors to fully embrace the implementation of the NALCE strategy and ICOLEW programme