WOUGNET Update Newsletter - March 2007

[Dorothy Okello <dokello@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

WOUGNET Update Newsletter - March 2007
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A monthly electronic newsletter from Women of 
Uganda Network (WOUGNET) - http://www.wougnet.org
For comments or queries, contact info@xxxxxxxxxxx

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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-
This month's contents:
1. Women Organisations in Uganda
2. ICT Policy
3. Links & Resources
4. Project News and Events
5. TechTip
6. WOUGNET News
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WOMEN ORGANISATIONS IN UGANDA
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= AMwA: New developments at Akina Mama wa Afrika
    http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/amwau.html
Two achievements that were made by the 
organization during the year 2006 were the 
relocation of the organization?s headquarters 
from London UK to Kampala Uganda and the recent 
recruitment of our new Executive Director (ED).
Ms. Solome Nakaweesi Kimbugwe took office on 15th 
Feb 2007 and will be based at the new headquarters in Kampala,Uganda.
Ms. Kimbugwe brings with her unique skills and 
experience, which will be a tremendous asset to 
AMwA and its future development. She is an alumni 
of the African Women?s Leadership Institute 
(AWLI), and thus bears testimony to AMwA?s 
investment in women?s leadership development. 
Following the AWLI in 2003, she rose through the 
ranks to head the Uganda Women?s Network 
(UWONET). During her tenure as Coordinator, 
UWONET has grown as an institution and has become 
an effective voice for women?s rights in Uganda. 
With her experience, skills and energy, Solome is 
ready to take on the challenge of heading AMwA, an international organization.
In a related development UWONET bade farewell to 
Ms Solome Nakaweesi Kimbugwe by organizing a 
farewell party, in honor of her years of service 
as Coordinator of UWONET. The occasion was 
attended by several women in different capacities 
many of whom have worked alongside Ms. Kimbugwe 
in her efforts to uphold the women?s movement.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#AMWAU


= Luwero Women's Development Association (LUWODA)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/luwoda.html
Operating in 13 sub-counties of Luwero District, 
LUWODA's mission is to build the capacity of 
women through providing them with the rightful 
information and technical assistance, as a means 
of improving on their home and well being of 
their household. LUWODA's areas of operation 
include Human Rights, Capacity building, Entrepreneurship, and Conflict.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#LUWODA


= St. Bruno Doll Making Group
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/sbdmg.html
Based in Nakawa Division, Kampala, St. Bruno Doll 
Making Group's mission is to have a group of 
women involved in practical work, to improve 
their standards of living. St. Bruno aims at 
encouraging women to get involved in fulltime 
work and to create women entreprenuers to enable 
women to create rather than seek for jobs. St. 
Bruno's main activities include art and craft 
specializing in doll making, art and design as well as tailoring.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#SBDMG


= UWONET: Introduction of UWONET Acting Coordinator, Dr. Daisy Namono
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/uwonet.html
On behalf of the Board I would like to take this 
opportunity to introduce to you Dr. Daisy Namono 
who is the Ag. Coordinator of UWONET with effect from 1st March 2007.
Dr. Namono Daisy has a Masters Degree in Natural 
Resources and Environment and a Degree in 
Veterinary Medicine.  She also has a Diploma in 
rural Policy and Project Planning.  She has 
undertaken several courses in Financial and 
management, including one on Management of NGOs, Gender among others.
She has been a Board member of UWONET since 2002 
where she first served as a Secretary and later 
as the Vice chairperson.  She has been closely 
associated with the Network programmes and 
actively participated in their development of the various manuals.
Dr. Namono worked as an extension Officer for two 
years before joining a Bank where she worked as a 
Project Analyst for 15 years.  She later left to 
work as the Executive Secretary for the Bahai 
Faith.  She has undertaken a number of 
consultancies in areas of environment and 
livelihoods, with direct technical support to a 
number of rural livelihood groups.
Currently Dr. Namono also serves as the 
Chairperson - Slum Aid Project, which is a member 
of UWONET.  She is also a Board member of Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.
I hope and request that, you give her support and 
continue your collaboration with UWONET.
Yours sincerely,

Associate Prof. Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo
CHAIRPERSON UWONET - Uganda Women's Network

http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#UWONET



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ICT POLICY
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= Civil Society and Local Government E-Society in Uganda

An e-society uses digital information and 
communication technologies such as computers, the 
Internet and mobile phones but in combination 
with more traditional ones such as radio and 
paper publications to strengthen constructive 
interaction, collaboration and services between 
government and citizens. The expectation of 
e-societies is that they will lead to 
improvements in areas such as governance, 
democracy, efficiency, and economic 
competitiveness. A successful e-society is 
normally based on the traditional structures in 
place in the ?real world: The relationships and 
interaction between key stakeholders such as 
local Government, Civil Society, Faith-based organisations and other groups.
As part of a process to come to a locally owned, 
coherent programme on ?Civil Society and Local 
Government E-Society?, the International 
Institute for Communication and Development 
(IICD) and the Humanist Institute for Cooperation 
with Developing Countries (Hivos), organized an 
ICT Roundtable Stakeholders workshop under the 
theme ?E-Society?. The workshop took place at 
Omodi Hostel, Apac, Uganda, from 5th to 7th 
February 2007. The workshop was facilitated by 
two local partners: WOUGNET, a Hivos partner, and 
I-Network, an IICD partner. It focused on three key issues:
- Building and strengthening interaction (using ICTs) between stakeholders
- Guaranteeing a coherent approach to improve overall social service delivery
- Encouraging government ­ civil society interaction and collaboration

The objective of the workshop was to provide 
stakeholders with a platform for identification, 
prioritization and formulation of one logical 
programme (which can exist out of a couple of 
components) to create opportunities for access to 
and sharing of information, knowledge and 
services in order to improve overall social 
service delivery and to strengthen government ­ 
civil society interaction and collaboration. A 
full report of the workshop is available at the 
WOUGNET resource center or via email to info@xxxxxxxxxxx

= Makerere University Department of Women and 
Gender Studies: East Africa CISCO Academy Sustainability Award 2007
The Department of Women and Gender Studies ­ 
Makerere University Cisco Academy was declared 
winner of the East Africa CISCO Academy 
Sustainability Award for the year 2007.  The 
certificate of excellence was awarded to the 
Department at an annual CISCO Academy conference 
held at Nairobi from March 13-15 2007 at 
Strathmore University. The award was given for the following reasons:
?     Consistent high enrollment since 2002
?     Consistent student success
?     Financial sustainability
?     High numbers of women trained and retained 
in the Cisco Certified Networking Course and  for
?    Consistently engaging principles of Cisco 
sustainability tool in the Women and Gender Studies academy business plan.
We would like to express our gratitude to the 
Women and Gender CISCO Academy staff, the Women 
and Gender Studies academic and support staff, 
the University community especially central 
management, faculty of social sciences  and 
faculty of Computing and Information Technology, 
government of Uganda particularly Ministry of 
Gender, Labour and Social development, United 
Nations Agencies especially United Nations? 
Volunteers and United Nations Development 
Programme, the International Telecommunications 
Union, NGOs especially I-Network, Conservation 
Through Public Health  and Women of Uganda 
Network (WOUGNET) and a range of educational 
institutions and private sector companies for 
their support towards this recognition.
We pledge to continue working towards addressing 
the gender digital divide by providing excellent 
skills and a bridge to especially women to enter 
the ICT field and ensure its gender sensitivity.
For further information contact, Mr. Aramanzan 
Madanda at <madanda@xxxxxxxxxxxx>.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LINKS & RESOURCES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a) Development

= Foundation for Rural Housing, Sanitation and Environment (FHSE-UGANDA)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#FHSEUG
Foundation for Rural Housing, sanitation and 
environment is situated at block 244 Bukasa Road 
Namuwongo in Kampala. The organization was 
founded in 2003 and carries out activities 
throughout the country. The mission is to enable 
rural communities and their households such as 
grassroot rural women and children and vulnerable 
members of communities acquire better housing 
with enough space, ventilation and sanitation 
facilities through capacity building. This is 
done by involving and lobbying policy makers and 
government. Specific focus is on housing and 
sanitation for vulnerable rural communities and 
their households with emphasis on widows and 
children. FHSE Uganda is affiliated to and 
registered with the Uganda National NGO Forum.

= Fairland Foundation (FAFO)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#FAFO
Fairland Foundation is a non- governmental 
organization that seeks to improve the plight and 
welfare of the vulnerable especially the women, 
orphans, street children, disabled, and elderly. 
Started in 1998 the organization covers the areas 
of Kampala, Mukono, Kayunga, Jinja, Iganga and Bugiri districts of Uganda.
Areas of operation include education, basic 
health, economic empowerment, water and 
sanitation, human rights, alternative energy and 
relief. Fairland Foundation consists of a group 
of institutions that include Fairland University- 
Jinja and Fairland High School ­ Mukono. It is 
affiliated to Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO 
Network (UWASNET), Global Village Energy Project 
(GVEP) and World Association of NGOs (WANGO).


b) Health

= Action to Support Orphans and Disadvantaged (ASOD)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#ASOD
 Action to Support Orphans and Disadvantaged 
(ASOD) was set up in 2005 to make a substantial 
contribution towards the fight against HIV/AIDS 
and improve the Health status of the 
Disadvantaged communities, through interventions 
in three integrated social services of Education, 
Health and HIV/AIDS. Thus build human capacity 
and create synergy between the sectors. The 
organization focuses on integrated community 
development targeting orphans, women and 
vulnerable children. Activities include reception 
and rehabilitation of vulnerable children, 
sponsorship for orphans and other vulnerable 
children, running a community school, promoting 
vocational and Life Skill Education and youths and women economic empowerment.
CBOs that are affiliated to ASOD include, Agency 
for Madi Orphans and Widows Organization (AFMOWO) 
­ Adjumani District, Buruli Anti ­ AIDS Crusade 
(BAAC) ­ Uganda ­ Masindi District, Uganda Child 
and Aid Development Foundation ­ Mukono District, 
Madi Development Foundation ­ Moyo District and 
Child Development Foundation ­ Mbale District.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROJECT NEWS AND EVENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


April 2007

= Fourth World Congress of Rural Women, Durban, 
South Africa, 21 - 26 April 2007
   http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews07.html#FWCRW

The World Congress of Rural Women is an 
international gathering of rural women, which 
occurs at four-year intervals. The congress has 
been hosted previously by Australia in 1994, the 
USA in 1998 and Spain in 2002.The aim of the 
congress is to discuss universal and wide-ranging 
issues confronting rural women today and to share 
concrete experiences of successes in addressing 
these worldwide. These include: globalisation; 
trade; sustainable development (social, economic 
and environment); gender equality; food security 
and related issues of access to land, water, 
finance, new technologies, transport and roads; 
rural housing, women?s health, governance and the 
impact of public policies on rural women.
The theme of this upcoming congress is United in 
our diversity: Working together towards the total 
emancipation of rural women from poverty and 
hunger. About 2,000 local and international 
delegates are expected to participate in the 
congress. Delegates will be drawn from rural 
women themselves, government, civil society, 
international and intergovernmental 
organisations, nongovernmental organisations and 
community-based organisations.
To register or to obtain any kind of information, 
please refer to the website: http://www.4thworldcongressofruralwomen.co.za/


= Loan Performer Workshop, Kagera Hall, Hotel Africana, Kampala, 12 April 2007
   http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews07.html#LPW1204
Crystal Clear Software is organizing a workshop 
on their micro-finance software "LOAN PERFORMER" 
where we will lauch Loan Performer version 7.09. 
In addition we expect to welcome our 175th 
client. This workshop will take place on Thursday 
12 April at Hotel Africana, Kagera Hall, Kampala, 
Uganda, from 9:00am to 5:30pm.
We hereby cordially invite you to attend this 
day. Entrance is free, but you are requested to 
make your own food and travel arrangements. The 
workshop will include an introduction to 
Management Information Systems and an 
introduction to new features of Loan Performer in 
Clients, Savings Deposits, Loans, Accounting, and 
Security, Auditing and Controls. The workshop 
will be closed by the State Minister of 
Microfinance, Gen. Salim Saleh (tentatively).


= Call for Applications: United Nations 
Journalism Fellowships, Application deadline: 17 April 2007
   http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews07.html#UNJF07
The Dag Hammarskjöld Scholarship Fund for 
Journalists is now currently accepting 
applications from young journalists for its 2007 Fellowship Programme.
Opened to professional radio, television and 
print journalists from Asia, Africa, Latin 
America and Eastern Europe , who are interested 
in coming to New York to report on international 
affairs during the 62nd Session of the United 
Nations General Assembly, the programme commences 
in September 2007. This is the 46th year the Fund 
has sponsored this program which was established 
to honor the second Secretary-General of the 
United Nations.  In the last four decades, the 
Fund has awarded fellowships to more than 170 
journalists from nearly 80 countries.  Many 
former Fellows have achieved great success as 
journalists and in other professions.  In 2006, 
the Fund awarded fellowships to journalists from 
Afghanistan, Brazil, India and Nigeria.
The four fellows to be selected will be young 
journalists between ages 25 and 35 to attend a 
10-week fellowship just before the General 
Assembly session begins. It is an all-expense 
paid programme that will cover travel, 
accommodations and per diem 
expenses.   Fellowship criteria and guidelines 
and downloadable application forms can be found 
at http://www.unjournalismfellowship.org. 
Original signed applications and sample work 
products are required.  Selection of the four 
2007 Journalism Fellows will be announced in June 
by the Fund?s Board of Directors.
The application deadline is Monday, April 17, 
2007.  For further questions, contact: info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx




October 2007

= 2007 Africa SMME Conference and Awards, 
Johannesburg, South Africa, 25 October 2007
   http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews07.html#ASMME

In line with the NEPAD?s drive to support and 
profile the role that Small, Medium or Micro 
enterprises (SMMEs) play in promoting economic 
growth and job creation, the Africagrowth Academy 
in partnership with African governments and 
institutions including Banks, Print media, 
Academic and private sector institutions and 
other enterprise support agencies will be 
organising the 2007 Africa SMME Annual Conference 
and Awards Ceremony on the 25th of October 
2007,  at the Crown Reef Convention Centre, Gold 
Reef City Hotel, Ormonde, Johannesburg, South 
Africa. The Conference and Awards ceremony will 
be aimed at presenting latest trends in SMME 
development in the continent and recognising and 
presenting awards to successful SMMEs by 
sector.  The main aim is to support and showcase 
Africa?s finest entrepreneurial achievements in 
the SMMEs sector were the winners of each 
category will be announced at a gala dinner the 
evening of the 25th of October 2007.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TechTip
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= Anti-Virus Upgrade: The AVG Anti Virus Program

With all the virus attacks we face everyday in 
our day-to-day interaction with computers, it is 
absolutely necessary to have an anti-virus 
application that will not only protect our 
computer hardware and software, but also our 
information and privacy. Please note that while 
such attacks are common to computers that are 
linked to the Internet, even off-line (stand 
alone) computers can be infected through sharing 
floppy diskettes and USB Flash disks.
However, its not enough just to have an 
anti-virus program running on your computer, it 
must be kept up to date, because new viruses come 
out practically every day. Usually, it is ok just 
to update your program with a simple file of the 
new viruses the program can protect you, but 
every once in a while you need a complete revamp of your program to
include more efficient ways of offering 
protection. Usually, the old version of the 
program will no longer receive anti-virus updates 
and so it will not provide you with any protection.
For those of you using AVG-Anti virus program, 
that time is now. As of February 18th, 2007, AVG 
7.1 Free Edition is no longer supported. If you 
are still using AVG 7.1 Free Edition or earlier, 
please take action now to remain safe by 
downloading the new AVG 7.5 Free Edition. Do not 
leave your self unprotected. In addition to the 
protection you have got used to, the new 7.5 
version offers improved performance and is user friendly.
For those that do not have any anti-virus 
protection at all, AVG 7.5 Free Edition may be worth considering.
To find out more and upgrade you protection, free 
of charge, please visit: http://www.grisoft.com/doc/1.
A special arrangement can be made for WOUGNET 
members that would like this software but have 
limited Internet access. Please contact the 
WOUGNET Tech Support team at techsupport@xxxxxxxxxxx

This Tech Tip was compiled by the WOUGNET 
Technical Support Team. For more information or 
for assistance in managing your computer, contact techsupport@xxxxxxxxxxx


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOUGNET News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


= Women Leaders in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Initiative

The Women leaders in WASH initiative was launched 
by two women ministers representing the North and 
South, Hon. Hilde Johnson, Minister for 
International Development (Norway) and Hon. Maria 
Mutagamba, Minister for Water and Environment (Uganda).
WASH aims at raising the commitment of all 
stakeholders to achieving necessary behavioral 
changes through various information and 
communication channels, using traditional and 
mass media, hygiene promotion in schools, 
training and building local capacity in 
communication and improving networking and research.
A Symposium for Women Political and Social 
Leaders for WASH took place on Tuesday 27th 
February 2007 at Hotel Africana, Kampala. The 
purpose of this symposium was to equip Ugandan 
women leaders and participants with capacity 
tools and skills to promote WASH in their routine 
activities and also to inform them of WASH 
challenges facing Africa and Uganda in particular 
and to design strategies to address them. For 
further information, contact WOUGNET at Plot 53 
Kira Road, Kamwokya, Tel: 041 4532035, Fax: 041 
4530474, E-mail: info@xxxxxxxxxxx


= National Meeting on Networking and Collaboration among Rural Women?s Networks

From the 23rd to 24th February 2007, WOUGNET 
hosted a national meeting on Networking and 
Collaboration among Rural Women?s Networks: 
Sustainability of CTA/Dimitra Networks and Impact 
of HIV/AIDS at Ranch on the Lake, Kigo, Uganda.
This was a follow up activity to a six-month 
online discussion forum that was held from 
January to June 2006, under the theme 
?Strengthening Rural women Networks with regards 
to Information and Communication, and to combat 
HIV/AIDS in Rural areas?. One of the 
recommendations from this discussion was that in 
future related discussions; more rural women 
networks (including those without internet 
access) meet face-to-face to discuss their views 
on the theme. The outcome of such face-to-face 
meetings would then be shared with other 
networks, through online discussion fora, in 
order to enrich and include diverse experiences.
The Uganda National meeting was supported by 
Technical Center for Agricultural and Rural 
Cooperation (CTA). The objectives of this meeting included:
-          To strengthen rural women networks and 
build capacity in information sharing and networking.
-          To exchange experience and knowledge 
on the impact of HIV/AIDS in rural areas.
-          To analyze the effects of HIV/AIDS on 
food security and rural community life.
-          To define common activities that could 
reinforce the various organizations and networks.
For further information, contact WOUGNET at Plot 
53 Kira Road, Kamwokya, Tel: 041 4532035, Fax: 
041 4530474, E-mail: info@xxxxxxxxxxx



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The Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) website and
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WOUGNET is supported by APC, CTA, Dimitra/FAO and Hivos

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