COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION AND ERADICATION OF POVERTY A CASE OF KAWEMPE DIVISION

ABSTRACT

The study was set to establish the role of community based organization and eradication of

poverty a case of Kawempe division; it was guided by the following study objectives which

included, To establish the role of Community based organizations in Kawempe Division, to

investigate the Poverty Eradication strategies/efforts in Kawempe Division and to find out the

challenges hindering poverty eradication in Kawempe Division. The study population was 40

respondents chosen from the leadership structure and directly mandated to manage CBOs in

Kawemepe Division and have the relevant information on community based organizations. Due

to limited time and resources, a sample size of (36 people) was selected from the study

population using Krejcie & Morgan, (1970) table. The study adopted a cross sectional study

design-case study design. The study was largely quantitative although, qualitative techniques

were also employed to address the gap left by quantitative methods. The study used both primary

and secondary data collection methods as complementary. The study findings portray that the

grassroots community based organization has a tremendously contribution towards the human

and natural resources development and management in Kawempe division. CBOs are playing

essential role for humanitarian development through joint analysis and seeking solution through

different seminars and workshop, joint social activities, and application of socio-economjc

projects. the respondents feel that skills development trainings in agriculture and livestock

imparted by CBOs empowered them to take rational farm and household decisions. One

explanation for the widening scope of poverty among communities is the flux of changes due to

rapid developments in technology which makes traditional reliance on experience as a source of

knowledge inadequate and often irrelevant. However, some limitations was observed in the CBO

effori to poverty eradication for i.e. leaving out the ultra poor, partial and sub-divided working

periphery, area based differences in activities/projects, differentiating outside target people and

weak relationship, participating in commercial activities, supporting political parties etc. the

study made the following recommendations, the government should Recognize women’s role

and their contribution to the rural economy and household income in particular and include them

in the future interventions grassroots organization. The selected CBOs played positive role

towards the socioeconomic development of the research area. The main areas in which they

played their role are education, health, trainings and construction. CBO~s should come up and

assist the community to discover their potentials and also mobilize community to be self-reliant.

Therefore, the final outcome of community development is the independence of the community

from external agents in formulating its agenda and managing its affairs. The government should

come up and help with the idea of capacity building, where people get involved in human capital

training, transferring of authority from donor to recipient and receive supports from stakeholders.

When people become fully empowered, they are able to contribute toward sustainable

development

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