Uganda


The DGRV Uganda Country Project commenced operations in July 2019, legally instituted as a non-profit International Non-Government Organisation (INGO). It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), through DGRV’s supra-regional Project; “Promotion of Cooperative Structures in East Africa” as a contribution to strengthening and improving livelihoods livelihoods the rural communities.

The Project is guided by the key principles of medium – long-term development cooperation to facilitate structural improvements through sustainable capacity building/organisational development support and therefore, interventions are purposively aligned to the framework of national development goals; primarily the National Development Plan III 2020/21 – 2024/25. Since establishment in Uganda, DGRV is gradually scaling-up support to the Co-operative Movement (policy and regulation, sector structures, select co-operatives, pre-cooperatives and their networks) economically engaged in the (sub) sectors of; finance, agriculture, renewable energy and health. The Project addresses the following major objectives:

Macro level interventions on framework conditions; contributes towards formulation of an enabling policy framework condition in support of appropriate regulation and supervision for the co-operative sector in order to create an enabling environment in which co-operatives of all forms can thrive and fully develop their potential for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Meso level interventions with sector structures as multipliers, supports the co-operative sector`s own structures and thereby increase the capacity of the apex institution and other multipliers (unions and networks) to deliver adequate services to their individual member co-operatives.

Micro level interventions with selected model pre-cooperative self-help groups and primary cooperatives as a contribution towards developing or strengthening a pool of model efficient, professionally managed, and entrepreneurial community-based co-operatives based on the basic principles of ‘self-help, self-responsibility and self-governance.’

The Project uses a ‘sector-wide approach’ rather than ‘regional focus’. In this way, interventions are designed with a national outlook rather-than regional focus. These initiatives are operationalised through technical advisory assistance to several key actors and stakeholders of the country`s co-operative sector.

Sustainable Development Goals


With our activities in Uganda we contribute to several Sustainable Development Goals, especially to:













Activities


-facilitated MoTIC in implementation policy related initiatives, including dissemination of ongoing amendments to cooperative regulatory frameworks,

-facilitated sector capacity building measures – technical assistance, trainings and advisory support, governance, management, operations and business for different primary cooperatives, especially through Caritas,

-established a cooperative competence centre Uganda Cooperative Alliance Service Centre UCASC for continued capacity support, tools for records & risk management and other needs-based trainings,

-strengthened 230+ pre-cooperative self-help groups (Savings and Lending Associations Network SLA-N), by supporting their professionalization and formalization, within the CWM,

-facilitated a project evaluation to determine appropriate measure for commercialising productive use of renewable energy options (biomass) briquettes among 8 primary energy and agricultural cooperatives,

-facilitated the integration of productive use of renewable energy options (solar powered irrigation systems) among small-holder farmers organised in 8 pilot agricultural cooperatives,

-facilitated knowledge exchange & experience sharing among the co-operative sectors of Uganda with other countries (both South-South exchange & North-South), and established synergy effects as well as increased efficiency and impact, supplementing the efforts of professionalization of the co-operative Movement in Africa.

DGRV’s interventions are integrated with focus on the measures for; ownership sustainability, impact, strategic inclusiveness and responsiveness to structural changes in the sector and in the economy.







Employees


Project Director

Martina Weis

Senior Project Advisor

Gabriel Kamuge

Head of Finance and Administration

Vastine Komwaka

Project Assistant

Aldan Tusubira

Partners


Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives (MoTIC)

The mission of the ministry is to “develop and promote a competitive and export-driven private sector through the acceleration of industrial development” It is the line ministry for the co-operative sector in Uganda.

Caritas – Kampala Archdiocese

Caritas Kampala is the socioeconomic development arm of the Archdiocese of Kampala. One main pillar of their development work is to develop, grow and support the grassroots cooperative movement, through the implementation of a framework conducive for the formation and growth of cooperatives as value based business model and as a means of socio-economic development.

Catholic Workers Movement (CWM)

CWM mobilises and coordinates savings and credit groups across the country.

Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA)

UCA is an apex organisation in the cooperative sector.

Office


DGRV – Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband e. V. – Uganda
German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Confederation Uganda
6th Floor, BMK House – Lower Kololo
Kampala

mweis@dgrv.coop

LinkedIn Team Africa

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