In Uganda, the Kisa Kyamukama Community Empowerment Group (CEG), is a group of 25 participants, 19 women, and six men attending their first year of adult education study. 21 participants are active and 4 inactive due to health complications. The journey began in February 2023 during the training sessions for the roll-out of the Integrated Community Learning Empowerment for Wealth (ICOLEW) programme. These are based on local issues identified, prioritized, and ranked by the participants. The CEG met at one of the participant’s homes (Mr. Lobowa Fred) located at Luseese village, Nabigasa sub county in Kyotera district.

The leader of the group is the vibrant Chairperson of the CEG Mr. Ssenabulya Bonny who was excited to share more about what he and the group are learning. To him, people with disabilities (PWDs) must be integrated into all of the adult learning initiatives and confirmed that there is currently one PWD who participates in the programme.

While Uganda has made remarkable progress in education and literacy in recent years, a sizeable proportion of our population remains illiterate. The 2014 Census on Literacy rates showed that 6.3 million people were illiterate at the time, and about 62% of these were female. Rural dwellers were twice as likely to be illiterate compared to urban dwellers (32% and 15% respectively). In Central Uganda where Unbound Kampala^[1] operates, the illiteracy rates of persons aged 10 years and above stood at 23%. As of 2021, Uganda’s literacy rate was 79%, implying an illiteracy rate of 21%, indicating that targets are still not realized close to a decade later.

Through the years, Unbound Kampala has contributed to community and national development^[1]. Our work at the grass roots level contributes to the international development agenda and the sustainable development goals^[2]. Unbound uses a needs-based approach, whereby programme interventions are initiated according to the assessed needs of the communities. Mothers’ groups, cash transfer empowerment programmes, as well as parent groups form the backbone of a sustainable livelihoods approach for Uganda.

The Integrated Community Learning for Wealth Creation (ICOLEW) formerly known as Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) Programme is an approach designed to integrate literacy and numeracy with livelihoods and life skills. Its objective is to enhance adult learners’ literacy and numeracy skills, as well as their capacity for socio- economic transformation. The programme was designed to contribute to the Government of Uganda’s drive for wealth creation by implementing integrated learning and training strategies at the household level. The programme seeks to empower illiterate people to participate in development processes, build and enhance their literacy and numeracy skills, and increase access and utilization of micro-credit services. It targets non- and semi-literate participants of 15 years and above, as well as marginalized people in hard-to-reach remote areas.

Participants identified “low household Income and expenditure” as the biggest challenge that faces them. In conducting a session on this issue, while employing different Participatory Rural Appraisal tools (e.g., problem tree, causes and effects), the learners agreed to embark on a group poultry project (rearing SASO-breed). Although the project is run at the individual household level, vaccination, feedings, and monitoring are done at the group level. The group began with 94 chicks (currently 2 months old). As the birds lay, the participants will collect and hatch the eggs, in order to have more birds to rear. The remaining eggs will be collected and sold in the local market.

The goal for the participants is that by the end of their 2 years’ study, each of them will be able to have a daily income that exceeds US$2.15 a day through the sale of Yellow York eggs (local Eggs. Eggs are among the top commodities consumed in the local villages and towns. The participants each have more than 2 laying birds. The earnings are intended to contribute to their savings in their self-help groups. Accumulated savings will enable them improve access to capital and collateral to be able to acquire their basic needs overall.

This is just one example of the grass roots work that Unbound is implementing in Ugandan communities to contribute to individual, community and national development.

¹Unbound Kampala is a Community Development Organization working to promote and safeguard rights of children by fostering self-sufficiency through community empowerment and quality education. It is an NGO, registration No. INDR150243660NB; Operating in the Central Region in 8 districts of Rakai, Gomba, Kyotera, Lwengo, Masaka, Mityana, Mpigi, and Wakiso. The organization supports over 11,000 vulnerable households organized in self-help groups that act as a support network for households to develop multiple pathways to walk their way out of poverty.

²“ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy by 2030.”

³Sustainable Development Goal 4 of attaining Quality Education.