Village Gender Governance Group Exchange visit

The Village Governance Group from Rukungiri visited Kibuku district to learn best practices of how the Grassroots Gender and Local Accountability project is impacting the communities of Kibuku district.

The Village Budget Clubs (VBCs) work in Tirinyi Sub County on local accountability created impact, shriving vigilance of the communities in ensuring that social services that are due to them are provided for, and address the needs of the poor. The duty bearers appreciate our intervention in the district. During the Rukungiri VGCs visit to Kibuku demonstrated that the leaders at the district freely share budget information with the citizen’s. ‘An issue that continues to strengthen the partnership and enhances budget advocacy for strategic engagement, the level of collaboration and partnership with the duty bearers to co-opt community concerns in district development agenda continue to make us achieve the results FOWODE is realizing in Kibuku district.

Also at the experience sharing with the district technocrats, Mr. Moses Mwiraguzu, CDO and focal point person for FOWODE at district level presented how the VBCs and FOWODE have continued to track service delivery, the ability to give alternative budget concerns and this has helped us as district to review our priorities for inclusive local government planning and budgeting. The VBCs and the citizen’s have always put us the leaders to task to explain and debate how public resources are allocated and utilized at community level, ensure quality in service provision and value for money in development concerns.

That an empowered woman is a tool for community development was a key lesson learnt during the exchange visit. Women’s enthusiasm to demand and defend their rights as development rights is now something Kalampete Village Budget Club has put on agenda, helping the fellow women who are affected by the gender based violence in their communities. One VBC member, Madam Amandu Nulu from Kalampete parish was able to share this with the Rugungiri team that visited Tirinyi Sub County to document the success stories the community members have been able to achieve. However, the community members decried the government current position to increase taxes on agricultural inputs and reduce budget allocation to health and education sectors, all these sectors affects us most the rural women .