Highlight on Education and Training Program in Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation (18th July-10th September 2010) conducted by the Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Tanzania

Participants (30) were drawn from the Albertine Region covering five countries namely Tanzania, DRC Democratic Republic of Congo), Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. A number of course modules have been covered under specific sessions:

• Climate systems and greenhouse effect
• Climate projections for the future
• Climate change in the recent and distant past
• Biodiversity in a changing climate
• Implications of climate change on human well-being
• Ecosystem concepts and processes
• Mechanisms by which climate affects ecosystems and observed impacts
• Modeling climate change impacts
• Ecosystems goods and services

We have also conducted a field learning trip to various sites around Dar es salaam City as follows:
• Manzese Bridge and surrounding slum area (under UN-Habitat program for
Vertical expansion)
• The famous Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere Independence House in Magomeni
• First World War Monument
• Coral reef/stones built house (one of the oldest buildings in Dar es Salaam)
• National Museum and Culture Centre of Tanzania
• Kivukoni Fish Market (largest fish market in Africa)
• Makumbusho Village Museum and Culture Centre

A lot was learnt more importantly in relation to climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. For purposes of collaboration, I’ve had an opportunity to interact with some of the top brains at the University and from outside, including experts in Modeling Climate Change impacts like Dr. Marchant from University of York, Dr. Lejju from Mbarara University of Science and technology in Western Uganda.

Beginning with today Monday 9th August 2010, we’ll visit the communities and protected areas - Morogoro, Mikumi and Udzungwa National Parks where climate change, variability and adaptation related projects have been implemented. As BCRD-Uganda, we’ll integrate Climate Change, Variability and Adaptability or Mitigation strategies in the main stream program, since it has become a global issue due extremely increased climatic instabilities (droughts, floods and mud-slides) as a result of global warming.

Watch this space for fantastic photos and more updates about the exciting program.

Natwijuka Seth Kayombo
Assistant Team Leader
BCRD-Uganda

MOTIVATION TO START BCRD-UGANDA

'If compromise continues, the revolution disappears', says an old proverb. The team was first and foremost motivated by the desire to directly implement programs with rural smallholders, and break the head office-field office syndrome and bureaucracy. The impulse emanated from the founder members’ practical experiences.

The online Master of Arts degree Program in Applied Community Change and Conservation widely exposed the Team Leader and inspired her greatly to initiate something new. During the first semester residential in India (Nov 2007), the team leader realized that classic Non-Governmental Organizations like Jamkhed Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP), SEARCH (Society for Education, Action and Research on Community Health) Gadchiroli, in India’s Maharastra State, as well as interaction with a classmate from BRAC Bangladesh were started by individuals after completion of their masters degrees from the United States.

She realized that by mobilizing colleagues to initiate a CBO, it would be feasible to implement a wealth of knowledge gained from the Master’s degree Program gained from (i) the classroom, (ii) online assignments, and (iii) exposure to rural development technologies in various countries and continents during the one-two months’ Residentials that were spread across four semesters in two years - India (Nov 2007), USA (May-June 2008), Peru (Nov-Dec 2008) and finally Nepal (Sept-Oct 2009).

When she returned back to her community in Kisoro from the India Residential, she shared with her colleagues about the wonderful rural development work and action research by SEARCH Gadchiroli and Jamkhed CRHP. In December 2007, a meeting was convened at Kisoro Tourist Hotel where it was unwaveringly agreed to form a CBO and carry on with community development programs based on PDM (Participatory Development Methodology) and SEED-SCALE (Self–Evaluation for Effective Decision–Making–Systems for Communities to Adapt Learn and Expand); SEED-SCALE is a Universal Process to Shape Community Momentum, to Fit Community Economy, Ecology, and Values.

'Be the change you wish to see in the world'– Mahatma Gandhi

Staff Capacity Development

At BCRD-Uganda, we believe in capacity building to ensure our community-based organization (CBO) becomes a learning organization. According to Peter Senge (1990) learning organizations are organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning how to learn together. Organizations that will excel in the future will be the organizations that discover how to tap people’s commitment and capacity to learn at all levels in an organization.

One BCRD-Uganda staff member and co-founder, Natwijuka Seth Kayombo will undertake an education program on climate change and biodiversity conservation at the University of Dar es Salaam's Institute of Resource Assessment from 9 July to 3 September, 2010.

The Team Leader, Ms. Joy Samantha Bongyereire is a 2008 AWARD (African Women in Agricultural Research and Development) Fellow, a two-year fellowship to fast track the careers of African women delivering pro-poor research and development. In October 2009, she successfully graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Applied Community Change and Conservation from Future Generations Graduate School,headquartered in West Virginia, United States.

One Field Extension Facilitator, Ms. Harriet Nyiramutuzo successfully completed a BSc (Agriculture) from Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) this year (early July 2010).

We believe we will make BCRD-Uganda a strong CBO, as long as we work hard as a team. Nothing beats hard work and teamwork.