Leaders in Osukuru Sub County have made commitments to incorporate activities that were once run by SAO in their local government work plans.
SAO with support from Transform Aid International has been implementing the Child Centred Community Development (CCCD) project in Osukuru for nine years.
Therefore, speaking at one of the three Parish level project graduation ceremonies that were held in Osukuru, Kachomo and Morukatipe Parishes in Osukuru sub county respectively to close the project, Mr Were James Don the Sub county Chief of Osukuru Sub County said even after SAO has left, the sub county is going to ensure that the activities continue.
“SAO’s approach is the best. It gives the community chance to be involved and own the project. So as a sub county, we have plans to make sure that we put some resources aside to sustain these projects.”
He added that the children, youth and women who have been skilled will be facilitated to train other community members.
In the same light, Mr Owino Joseph, the District Education Officer Tororo said that since SAO has achieved her target of developing Osukuru, “We shall continue with the development through monitoring.”
He said the education department will ensure that they monitor all educational programmes that had been started by SAO such as feeding of pupils while at school. Mr Owino added that the Community Development Officer will ensure that all facilities that SAO had established during its nine years are well maintained.
Additionally, Mr John Paul Okanya, the LCIII Chairperson of Osukuru Sub County said local government will provide the community with support and do their best to sustain the programme.
Mrs Akiisa Harriet one of the Parish Chiefs in the sub county said that being a child activist, she will ensure that they continue with the good work SAO had instilled in the children.
“We shall ensure that children participate in children’s parliaments once a year, they will have three talk shows and these will be held quarterly, we shall also facilitate them to have spot messages and support school sport activities. All these will be included in our work plan.”
SAO’s work in Osukuru through the eyes of the community members
According to Mr Benjamin Etyang, the former County inspector of schools, Tororo County, SAO came into Osukuru with the major aim of training people on independence and not dependence.
He explains that to achieve this, SAO team on ground empowered the communities in difference aspects of life such as health, education and economic growth among others.
Mrs Akiisa Harriet one of the Parish Chiefs in the sub county explains that when SAO came into their community, it first understood the problems the communities had in education such as lack of confidence among the pupils, school dropout among girls because of lack of sanitary pads among others.
“With this knowledge, they trained pupils in lobby and advocacy skills, taught children how to make re-usable sanitary pads and different income generating actives through which they can raise money to buy scholastic materials.”
Mary Atukei the Head Teacher Osukuru Primary school says SAO introduced the policy of feeding children at school, they introduces school gardens and taught pupils and teachers how to maintain them. It’s through these gardens that children are fed while at school.
Therefore, because of the positive changes that have been created as a result of SAO’s interventions, community leaders pledged to ensure that all that SAO had done is not undone.
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