Knowledge, Advocacy & Lobbying (KAL)

Learn more about the Project:

 
KAL-brochure     KAL-Final report
        Brochure                  Final report
 

The development objective of the project was to create high public awareness and knowledge of benefits of renewable energy and climate change mitigation in all levels of society, in order to increase the level of sustainable rural communities through implementation of environmental conservation practices.

The immediate objectives were increasing knowledge of communities and community leaders and the promotion of green enterprise benefits. The project run in the period 2014 - 2017.


KAL News: December 2017

Final visit to JEEP, Joint Energy and Environment Projects, Uganda 29 November - 8 December 2017, representatives of Nordic Folkecenter visited the KAL project in Uganda, financed by CISU. KAL is an abbreviation of Knowledge, Advocacy & Lobbying for the Benefits of Renewable Energy and Climate Change Mitigation in Uganda and takes place in the period 2014 - 2017.

JEEP Folkecenter
There are 13 part-time employees, administrative / trainers + 1 on maternity leave, 2 volunteers - one takes care of soap production and one is from the German NGO Artefact and competent with IT, as well as 4 practical staff and 1 affiliated driver when fieldwork. The KAL project was the last in a series of 4 projects, the first of which started October 2007.

Knowledge Advocacy Lobbying (KAL)



KAL News: March 2017

The KAL project has entered its last year and much has still to be achieved.

After the Stakeholders´ meeting of 15th February with participation from the 9 districts, from Government, Ministries and organizations – altogether 120 people, all the districts are again to be visited with new information, activities and questions to how far the districts, sub-counties, schools, health clinics, tree nurseries, stove builders and entrepreneurs in selling of solar lamps have gone with implementation and improvements, they have promised to work with.

The Magazine ”Renewable Energy & Climate Change Mitigation – Findings and Recommendation from nine districts of Uganda” which was published for the meeting is been studied with great interest, and it is to be printed in more copies. It is available at the Nordic Folkecenter in limited numbers.

When monitoring the project the NFRE project coordinator joined the JEEP team during field work in Mpigi, Kalangala (Ssesse Islands) and Tororo districts and took part in the Stakeholders` meeting.




KAL News: January 2017

Nordic Folkecenter has in January - March a volunteer in Uganda to carry out a monitoring visit regarding the KAL project.

During the monitoring visit in February the NFRE project coordinator shall be going on follow-up with JEEP staff to four of the districts of the KAL project: Mpigi, Arua, Kalangala (Ssese Islands) and Tororo, and leaders representing all 9 districts plan to visit JEEP Folkecenter on 15th February in order to exchange information and together with JEEP Staff and Board make conclusions on the benefits of the project to be presented to the Ugandan authorities.


KAL News: Mid-Term Evaluation (August 2016)

1½ Years left of the KAL Project!

JEEP Folkecenter
The latest bi-annual report gave a view of activities.

Leaders recommended that JEEP always have seminars with them when they come to train selected groups, do follow-ups on stove building, tree planting and other entrepreneurship. Sub-county leaders informed JEEP of fuel shortage and limited finances to enforce ordinances by the district. - The project does not have all the funds to meet these needs.

The election period in February greatly delayed JEEP activities since they afterwards had to wait for new leaders to be sworn in office.

Ruth Kiwanuka, JEEP CEO, represented WWF Uganda, where JEEP is a partner, and spoke at a ”Sustainable Energy for All” conference in June in Rome. She also participated in a workshop in July organised by Youth Go Green. 35 Members of Parliament took part, headed by the Speaker of Parliament who is also Commissioner of Climate Change Department.

Ruth was recognised as the leader of an NGO that has been active for over 30 years and was greatly thanked for fighting environmental degradation and advocating for climate change mitigation.

In July the Mid-Term Evaluation Report was published with conclusions and recommendations for the remaining period. Enterprise Development Ltd. is expressing at the end: “To a great extent the project is likely to be sustainable given its cascade approach in sensitisation. When pending activities are implemented (business skills training and establishment of green shops) this is likely to be even more realistic.”



KAL News: June 2015

JEEP staff has been busy following-up on the last year introduction and first steps of the KAL project
The coordinator from Nordic Folkecenter took part in activities in Kasese and Arua Districts in February 2015, where leaders and NGOs were visited at county and sub-county level to see how they had worked with the challenges they themselves had presented last year, and how they had fulfilled their commitments.

Stove construction and tree planting
Practical training in mud stove construction of trainers from the sub-counties started, and 100 were trained in those two districts. Many more wanted to join, because the need of stoves is very big. These trainers will now go and train others, and JEEP will follow-up on the results. Count the stoves built as well as correct mistakes when and if necessary.

Similar activities took place in Tororo and Apac Districts in March with altogether 88 participants in the stove training, and in April in Mpigi District with 40 participants for stove training.

A "training of trainers" from all 9 districts in construction of tree nursery beds and tree planting has taken place at JEEP Folkecenter.

Awareness Seminar at Uganda's Parliament
On 26th May 2015 JEEP staff and one board member carried out their first ever awareness seminar at the parliament building. 9 members of parliament and 17 members of the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change attended.

Members were called upon to support JEEP, the CEO talked about history and emphasized awareness as one way to curb climate change and gave examples. She later stressed the importance of conserving the environment and using renewable energy technologies such as solar.

Others gave a presentation on KAL project objectives, activities, stakeholders and other JEEP activities such as ”Lighting Africa”, laws and policy implementation gaps, financial constraints, delayed commitments, conflicting interest, lack of human resources and limited capacity.

MPs were also active in airing their views and ask questions, and they committed themselves to partner and coordinate with JEEP, buy solar products and water filters for their people, plant trees, promote renewable energy products i.e. stoves, visit JEEP and discuss the way forward.



KAL News: January 2015

The first year is gone with KNOWLEDGE - ADVOCACY - LOBBYING
Visit at JEEP, visit from JEEP staff respectively Thomas B. Kentos and Ruth Kiwanuka, CEO, receiving very informative photos, two interim reports and regular newsletters confirms that the 4-year project has started well in all nine selected districts.

Information has been gathered and contact initiated to the three target groups:

  • Leaders;
  • Local citizens in the country;
  • Future distributors of "green products" such as sunlamps, stoves and water filters;

Managers have positive intentions about improving the environment, and citizens have expectations to improve their living conditions and access to new products.

JEEP has the next 3 years to help it on its way and create a model that can be replicated elsewhere. The Project Coordinator, Lene Hoegh, will be at JEEP 2 February to 6 March.

Other guests from Denmark in part of the period will be Birgit Maarup, MS volunteer in Arua (one of the nine districts) 1967-68 and her husband Uffe Krogsdam.




KAL News: May 2014

Seminar for top leaders has now finished in Kamuli, the first out of 9 districts involved
A strong NRM (in power) and opposition were present, and discussions were limited to energy supply and climate change as introduced by JEEP in invitation and introduction.

Top leaders in politics, administration, religion and culture all showed interest. They were present full time during the seminar whereas it is often difficult to hold them.

The project ”Knowledge, Advocacy and Lobbying for the Benefit of Renewable Energy and Climate Change Mitigation in Uganda”, or KAL, is funded by project money from Denmark via CISU and takes place in the years 2014-2017.





Start-up of a new project in Uganda

Nordic Folkecenter has in the period 2014-2017 obtained financing from CISU for a new project in Uganda
The title of the new project is "Knowledge, Advocacy and Lobbying for the Benefit of Renewable Energy and Climate Change Mitigation in Uganda", abbreviated CAL.

In the period February 3 - March 7 2014 was a volunteer at Folkecenter Lene Hoegh at a supervisory visit to our partner JEEP (Joint Energy and Environment Projects) in Uganda, as part of the start of the project.

Several volunteers work at JEEP. The German NGO Artefact sends every year new volunteers through their Solivol program and this year, the Dane Peter Petersen was a volunteer at JEEP from mid-February to mid-April.

Peter Petersen is trained as bricklayer and building technician and can therefore provide qualified assistance for construction and maintenance.