Bufunjo advocacy forum members appointed on school and health management committees

Members of Bufunjo People’s Forum have been appointed on the health management committee of Bufunjo Health Centre III and board of Bufunjo Secondary school by Bufunjo Sub County Council due to their efforts in advocating for improved service delivery in Bufunjo Sub County, Kyenjojo District.

The two members of the advocacy forum are Tumwesigye Andrew and Tibeha John Bosco who were appointed by the RDC as Chairperson of the Health Management Committee of Bufunjo Health Center III and Board member of Bufunjo Secondary School respectively.

Bufunjo People’s Forum has been instrumental in advocating for improved service delivery in Bufunjo Sub County using appropriate ICT tools especially mobile phone technologies, online tools like emailing, facebook and ToroDev supported live accountability talkshows (http://torodev.blogspot.com/2013/04/report-by-bufunjo-peoples-forum-on.html).

L-R: Tumwesigye and Tibeha

The advocacy forum has since November 2012 helped improve health service delivery at the Bufunjo Health Centre III through advocating for the provision of more medical staff and medical equipment. Bufunjo Peoples Forum through their advocacy work using appropriate ICT tools also helped re-instate students of Bufunjo Secondary School on USE program; the students were removed from the USE program illegally by the school management. 

The two members were appointed by the RDC following a meeting with the members of the advocacy forum and local communities on 8^th April. The meeting was aimed at monitoring service delivery since the office of the RDC is mandated to monitor service delivery in the district.

“The meeting with the RDC helped us to get more trust from the community. The RDC was very happy with our work of monitoring services delivered in our Sub County and he entrusted us with the powers to serve our people.” Said Tibeha John Bosco, the secretary of Bufunjo Peoples Forum.

Despite all efforts by Bufunjo People’s Forum in advocating for improved service delivery, people are still facing problems of poor roads which have increased accidents and affected the livelihoods of the rural communities since its affects access to markets and other vital services like health and education.

“We have lost a man who fell off a motor cycle because of the high hump, we have tried to approach our leaders to help us fix the pipe in the ground so that this hump is removed but there has not been any response from them.” Said Tumwesigye Andrew, the Chairperson of Bufunjo Peoples Forum.

ToroDev hopes that the appointment will improve service delivery at Bufunjo Health Centre III and Bufunjo Secondary School since the two members will directly be involved in decision making for improved services at the two government facilities.

ToroDev has since 2012 been supporting the initiation of such rural advocacy forums in the seven districts of the Rwenzori Region. So far, eleven (11) rural advocacy forums have been initiated by rural monitors (youth and women) who were trained by ToroDev in online advocacy.