How DRDIP project has transformed standards of living in Adjumani

Adjumani, (UG):- Life in Uganda under the government project when well embraced by the citizens can, raise one’s standard of living and all this can happen due to hard work which will earn a milestone in the lives of the Community members.

The group members of Lori village, Loa Parish, and Ciforo Sub County in Adjumani are among the luckiest groups who have benefited positively under the DRDip projects in Adjumani District.

Adjumani District, located in Northwestern Uganda with a projected population of 463,960 as of December 2020, is among refugee hosting districts implementing the Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP).

The Project Development Objective (PDO) aims to address the adverse effects of hosting refugees by improving socio-economic service infrastructure, enhancing environmental management and expanding livelihood opportunities.

Mr Magwe Patrick Tiondi, the chairman of Lori Community Woodlot said that their project is running on 15 arches of land comprising 93 members, according to him, this project will not only help them economically but the trees will lead to rainfall formation, act as windbreaker and provision of fresh air.

“This area has been hit with too much sunshine for so long now the establishment of the woodlot will help in that area,” Says Tiondi.

Mr Tiondi further lamented that the group received over fifty million shillings paid to their account to start the project. Out of this money “Five thousand five hundred shillings was given to each individual where one thousand five hundred shillings is for mandatory savings and four thousand shillings is paid per day for work done hence it has raised their standard of living.” Says Tiondi 

Mr. Ambayo Caesar, the secretary further explained that due to the group members being so committed, it made him advise each member to have individual gardens where they can also plant trees to generate income for the families.

“We love doing work that brings money to uplift our standard of living,” says Ambayo

Due to the hard work of the group members, the district voted them the best in Adjumani district and gave them more seedlings which were also planted on 15 acreages with 97 members mostly women.

According to Mr Ambayo, over 4,000 seedlings were brought for them and they spent over 50 days right from bush clearance to planting.

“Environmentally we have solved many,” says Ambayo as he urges his members to practice Reforestation

Igu Tobias, one of the members said that this project had made their standard of living change he also planted his own on two acres of land.

“I am so happy that am one of the beneficiaries of this project and urged the government to continue bringing more projects so that they can fight poverty in their families, fight climate change environmentally and uplift their standard of living,” says Mr Dranzu Alex said, The local council one chairman Lori village.

The LCIII chairman Hon Drazelega Luke, lauded the Lori Community woodlot members for the tremendous work they are doing to the extent that, they were voted the best in terms of taking care of it from the early stage. What made them the best was “the group members are committed and they own the project”, they did not see the project as a one-man project but a group project which in the end would uplift their standards of living.

However, according to him, payment of the groups takes long and procurement hence leading to late planation of the seedlings which in turn will be affected by drought or too much rain. 

He further requested the Desk officer to allow the agriculture officer to be the focal person contacted by these groups to reduce the challenges of planting on poor soil which leads to some plants dying due to bad soil and testing of the soil samples as a technical person.  “Desk officer come and explain the meaning of the guidelines to the community about contracting someone to take over these projects”.

He also urged the desk officer to let the money come at the right time and the concerned offices need to do thorough research on the type of tree species to be planted in a particular location. His office needs not to be left behind right from an early stage for easy implementation of this project.

“The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to address adverse effects of hosting refugees by improving socio-economic service infrastructure, enhancing environmental management and expanding livelihood opportunities”, says Gulam Abubakar the Desk Officer

The total funds received to date is UGX 56,412,085,913 and financed 384 Sub-projects befitting 139,263 beneficiaries under the 3 components. Out of the funds received, UGX 13,659,080,807 is for 81 sub-projects in refugee settlements.