Rwenzori Development Foundation
Supporting and enabling self-reliant rural communities in south-western Uganda through empowering education and conservation programmes.
The Ruboni Community Conservation and Development Programme
The RDF Conservation Workstream is currently working with the Ruboni Community Conservation and Development Program (RCCDP) on a Community Forest Project. Within the RCCDP umbrella group there are a number of other smaller community groups, all working to help meet their own aims and those of the RCCDP. Find out more about these groups here:The following groups are affiliate members of the RCCDP. However, each is separately constituted in its own right, with it's own board, aims and objectives. The groups benefit from each other by sharing expertise and by working in partnership.
KISINGA COMMUNITY ECOTOURISM CONSERVATION (KICOTUCO)
Chair: Mr. Kahungu Charles
This group is situated in Kisinga, approximately 1 hour south of Kasese, in the Rwenzori foothills. It has 33 members (18 women and 15 men) and was started in 2002.
They have a small demonstration farm behind the office to teach farmers sustainable agriculture activities such as zero grazing and kitchen gardening along with cash crop cultivation such as vanilla and coffee. The group also has a community campsite and restaurant.In addition, there are example traditional thatched huts with a large outdoor xylophone. This xylophone is built around a local monument, the burial place of several Bakonzo hero's. Cultural dances are performed here for tourists.
RUBONI UNITED YOUTH ASSOCIATION (RUYA)
General Sec: Mr. Kabahisya Boniface
The group is a registered community based organization of 15 youths; (8 women and 7 men). Their main aim is "encouraging local youth to participate in activities that help to fight poverty and illiteracy through education and sustainable activities".
Conservation-wise they are concerned with training young people in agriculture and animal husbandry, particularly pig rearing and goat sharing projects. They are also very concerned with raising the literacy of the young people in the village, many of whom do not carry on to secondary school. Future aims for their education side are the opening of a primary school and the creation of a public library.
St. JANE'S FRANCIS KINYUKU CATHOLIC WOMEN ASSOCIATION
General Sec: Mr. Basima Richard
This group is a registered community organization that has 30 members, predominately women. The group encourages local women to carry out sustainable agriculture. They have had some livestock donated through CAFOD and use zero grazing to raise these cows and goats.
They have identified a need for adult education for the women, many of whom are unable to read and write. They carry out these lessons in the local church or down in the village of Nyakalengija.Aims for the future include the creation of a nursery school for the women's children and to give female children the best chance for education. The group is currently running some nursery classes in a makeshift hut on the local church land where they meet at the moment.