John, This is a wonderful initiative and we are glad that Fr. Ruffino has accepted the challenge of leading the stering committee to improve the quality of education in West Nile. Using the church is one of the most efective ways of such an undertaking, after all, those of us old enough can still remember when we went to a religious school. Given that there is at least a major catholic mission in each of the counties in west nile, it should be relatively easier for the good Father to mobilize his colleagues for support.
John, what I would like to say is that perhaps, in addition to moral support, members should think of opening a bank account in Arua and raise money for supporting Father Ruffino in this endeavour. John, you could work with Father Ruffino to develop a budget and seek for contributions from people. I believe we have Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) in all of the major towns and subounties as well. An account could be opened in a SACCO for that purpose. By the way, if anyone knows a woman Managing Director or Loans Officer in the major SACCO in Arua, please send me her name (unfortunately the program discriminates against men so there is nothing much one can do). The SACCO must be recognized by the Uganda Cooperative Association. There is a program for mentoring Women Credit Union/SACCO MDs in Canada and every year they bring at least two or three women from Uganda. The Pakwach and Koboko SACCO MDs attended the one month training program in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Thanks Charles On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 9:21 AM, JohnAJackson <[email protected]> wrote: > *Task Force for Improving Quality of Education in West Nile Region* > > Hello Ladies and gentlemen, > > Through the West NileNet, I came across the email address of Father Ezama > Ruffino. I send him a personal note and asked him if he can volunteer to > lead a steering committee. He has done some noble assignments before. > Fr.Ruffino has accepted to initiate this task force. > I know it is going to be a daunting task to enlist people for these > discussions. I am aware the road ahead is going to be rough. > We should give Fr. Ruffino a moral support as he prepares to tackle this > problem besides his daily work. I want to remind all of us that around the > world, ordinary people have come together around common problems, talked > about them, come up with action plans to resolve the problems. We are no > exception. > As Charles Male has suggested, mobilizing ourselves at the grass roots > level to identify the root causes of the problems is the best way to fix > these problems. We need to identify things that are not working. Test new > ideas that may work or have worked else where in the world. > > We are living in a global world where information is at a click of the > mouse. This is where West Nileans in Diaspora would become a handy tool. If > we can collaborate and work as a strong team, we will see the results soon > or one day. This is moment for us to show good leadership or stewardship > to a population we all belong to. > > Invite you friends to joint the West NileNet wherever they live if they > haven't. Let's use it as constructive tool to share ideas, strategic > planning and problem solving tool. > > On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 3:56 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Send WestNileNet mailing list submissions to >> [email protected] >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> [email protected] >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> [email protected] >> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >> than "Re: Contents of WestNileNet digest..." >> >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. Re: Poor Performance in National Examinations (Charles Male) >> 2. Re: Greetings (Charles Male) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:10:44 -0500 >> From: Charles Male <[email protected]> >> Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Poor Performance in National Examinations >> To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> >> Message-ID: >> <[email protected]> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >> >> Hello John, >> >> Thank you for these suggestions. As you know we in the diaspora are very >> limited in what we can practically do to implement such good suggestions. >> We >> can only rely on the good will of the brothers and sisters on the ground. >> >> I would like to add that you may wish to actually redirect some of these >> wonderful suggestions to Mr. Kassiano Wadri, the Terego Chief and all >> subcounty chiefs. I beleive as a former teacher you may still have some >> contacts who teach in Terego. Challenge all these people to do something >> about the educationsl situation. Given that many of them might know you, >> they are more likely to respond very favourably. As for Mp Kassiano Wadri, >> I >> beleive, people can hold him accountable at the next polls if he does not >> address issues raised by members of is constituency. >> >> We should all target and address these issues to our respective MPs and >> County/subcounty chiefs and request that they act. Mr. Charles Dra - >> ecabo, >> would it be possible to conduct consultations accross the >> counties/subcounties after the upcoming public debate in Ombachi? >> >> I still believe that the majority of the people who will help us get out >> of >> this terrible performance are the parents, school teaches, county and >> subcounty authorities. We must reach and consult each of them inorder to >> get >> their buy in. >> >> Thank you. >> >> Charles >> >> _______________________________________________ >> WestNileNet mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >> >> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >> way. >> _______________________________________________ >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> http://orion.kym.net/pipermail/westnilenet/attachments/20090228/7772773a/attachment-0001.html >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 2 >> Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:55:59 -0500 >> From: Charles Male <[email protected]> >> Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Greetings >> To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> >> Message-ID: >> <[email protected]> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" >> >> Caleb, >> Thanks. Actually, many of us in Canada and USA have been working at the >> West >> Nile level for over 15 years and unfortunately it has not worked. I >> beleive >> there was a West Nile group in UK as well (after I left over 24 years ago) >> working on behalf of West Nile. >> >> I beleive working at the local level and developing west nile are not >> mutually exclusive. In fact we stand to recruit a lot more partners to >> focus >> on larger West Nile issues if we went back to the local level. As I >> indicated in my email that the second thing I want to achieve with members >> of the Westnilenet is to make our MPs work together because right now they >> obviously are working against one another. >> >> For example, Maracha and Terego are locked in a disgreement over where the >> new district h/qs should be located. Have the west nile MPs attempted to >> mediate between the two counties and resolve the impasse? I have not heard >> so. >> >> Those of us old enough can remember that there was the Northnile district >> located for Maracha, Koboko and Aringa with h/qs located in Koboko Town. >> Initially I beleive the gov't wanted to reinstate that district but >> Maracha >> and Aringa never wanted Koboko to be the h/q of the reinstated district. >> So >> for many years the citizens of these three counties lost millions of >> grants >> from the gov't because they were considered part of Arua district until >> Aringa negotiated its own district status. >> >> Again our honourable MPs were workign against each other instead of >> together >> for the good of our people. >> >> I do see a role for a larger West Nile group to >> advocate/encourage/pursuade >> our MPs to work together with and for the people of West Nile. >> >> As for Kiggs, he is the same one who runs Ugandanet since the 1990s. He >> relocated to Uganda folloing the loss of his dear mom. >> Plz see below >> ================= >> >> *To: [email protected] >> Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 11:05 PM >> Subject: [Ugnet] Re: Ugandanet Digest, Vol 75, Issue* >> >> ============= >> Look forward to working with you, >> >> Charles Male >> >> On Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 11:28 AM, Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> > Charles Male, >> > >> > Your ideas are so good and we want to work with you. Kobokonet or >> > Marachanet are good ideas. However there is need for us to raise the bar >> to >> > Westnile. Have you ever reached Tie Okot IDP or Kololo on Karuma Pakwach >> > road around 5:00 p.m while driving towards Arua from Karuma and seen the >> > beauty of the sun setting over the Nile. It is the most beautiful >> spectacle >> > one can ever dream about. Let us keep the spirit, small interactive >> forums >> > are good and the larger picture can be achieved through a bigger forum. >> Keep >> > it up old man and welcome on board. >> > >> > Alaka >> > >> > --- On *Tue, 2/24/09, Charles Male <[email protected]>* wrote: >> > >> > >> > From: Charles Male <[email protected]> >> > Subject: [WestNileNet] Greetings >> > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> >> > Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 4:23 AM >> > >> > >> > Anvupi, Adripi: >> > >> > Ma aa ayiko si mani emini oduku di sizu risi. >> > >> > I have just discovered WestNileNet, thanks to John Avudria who sent a >> few >> > of us a copy of an email that he sent to the Uganda Ministry of >> Education >> > regarding the poor performance in last year’s PLE and UNCE exams. It was >> a >> > pleasant surprise to find that our good old friend Kiggundu Y Mukasa is >> > hosting WestNileNet! Reminds me of the early 1990s when he hosted us on >> > Ugandanet! >> > >> > Although a West Niler, I hesitated to subscribe to this net for a while >> but >> > in the end gave up and thought I could share with you one thing that we >> from >> > Koboko have done recently and could recommend that all other West Nile >> > communities emulate. It is not rocket science but I believe we could try >> it >> > and if we don’t, then we could always say at least we did give it our >> best >> > effort. I have already communicated this idea to John Avudria. >> > >> > >> > Before I elaborate on my idea, I would like to state upfront that while >> I >> > am on WestNileNet, I want to achieve ONLY two things: >> > >> > >> > >> > 1. Ensure West Nilers embrace grassroots approach to development >> > >> > 2. Ensure we members of West Nile communities make our members of >> > Parliament work together for us. >> > >> > *1. **Ensure West Nilers embrace grassroots approach to >> > development* >> > ** >> > Over the years of interacting with my brothers and sisters from West >> Nile, >> > I have come to the conclusion that most of us live in the past! West >> Nilers >> > who left the region in the 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s have refused to >> > acknowledge that West Nile and therefore, Uganda has changed altogether. >> We >> > think of ourselves as having gone to Koboko SS, Ombachi, Mvara, Nyapea >> etc >> > and refusing to accept that there are hundreds of other schools in the >> > region. I am proud that those schools actually brought us together but >> > brothers and sisters, we have to face the reality. >> > >> > Let’s go back to our villages, our counties and connect with the people >> > back home!! In March 2008, we started Kobokonet, an Internet discussion >> > group for people and friends of Koboko. Initially, we were sceptical, >> > thinking that we may only get a handful of people. To our greatest >> surprise, >> > the number of subscribers stands at over 150 people and I might add that >> > there are even more out there that have not been included and we are >> still >> > searching for them. >> > >> > My suggestion therefore is that each and every one of us west nilers >> must >> > go back to our villages. Please form internet discussion groups >> according to >> > the various counties: Teregonet, Marachanet, Ayivunet, Aringanet, >> > Madi-Okollonet, Vuranet. Do the people from Maracha know how many other >> > Maracha professionals are out there? Likewise do the Terigians, Ayivus, >> > Vuras, Aringas, Madi-Okollos know how many other professionals are out >> > there? >> > >> > Only through a discussion group for the particular county shall we >> actually >> > know how many other people are out there. >> > >> > Following the release of the worst PLE and UNCE OL results over the last >> > two months, one of the local leaders in Koboko embarked on consultative >> > meetings with all the stakeholders in Koboko. Two meetings have been >> held >> > where over 200 people participated to find solutions to the educational >> > challenges facing us. More consultations are scheduled in each of the >> > remaining sub-counties so that each and every one feels they were part >> and >> > parcel of the solution. I second the idea that a conference take place >> in >> > Ombachi in March and actually have suggested that the organizer of the >> > Consultations in Koboko participate in the conference. However, without >> > consultation meetings taking place in the different sub counties of >> Maracha, >> > Terego, Ayivu, Vura etc., this conference will remain an elitist get >> > together. I want to see the university professors go back to the sub >> > counties and participate alongside with the villagers and hold the >> > discussions in lugbara or whatever local language they use where we >> shall >> > then be taken seriously! The solutions for most of our problems lie >> right in >> > the villages – only if we knew how to talk to our people. >> > >> > Once we have consulted at the village/sub county level, then we can >> > consolidate our findings into a report that we can present to the local >> and >> > national gov’ts and our politicians. Correct me if I am wrong but I have >> not >> > read any statement attributed to our politicians about their concern for >> the >> > miserable achievement. I have, however, read from the Monitor or New >> Vision >> > how some politicians in other regions are threatening to ask the DEO to >> > resign over the failure!!! >> > >> > If we can manage to organize at the local level, I believe we shall >> succeed >> > as a region. Imagine if each county can sign up at least 200 subscribers >> and >> > maintained lively debate for at least a year, by the middle of 2010, we >> can >> > then automatically merge subscribe these names to WestNilenet and have >> over >> > 1000 west nilers online!!! >> > >> > >> > The experience from Kobokonet is that not every one is active but that >> is >> > Ok! The important thing is that they are reading/listening to the >> > discussions. Out of 1000 west nilers online, we can have at least 100 >> active >> > participants who can make a huge difference!!! >> > >> > *2. **Ensure we members of West Nile communities make our >> members >> > of Parliament work together for us.* >> > ** >> > >> > Do you people know that west Nile is the only region in Uganda where >> the >> > members of Parliament don’t have a caucus? We here about Acholi >> > Parliamentary group, Lango, Buganda etc., but no west Nile caucus. What >> is >> > wrong with us for Christ’s sake! The lack of unity among the west Nile >> > politicians is the direct result of the fact that we ourselves have >> failed >> > to unite despite all pretences that we are untied! West Nile politicians >> > have refused to understand that politics is a game and you don’t have to >> > hate one another even if you belong to different parties! We as a region >> > have probably the worst infrastructure in the whole of the country but >> our >> > politicians are not speaking with one voice to ensure we also receive >> our >> > fare share of the national cake. >> > >> > The majority of West Nilers lived in Congo and Sudan for over 10 to >> 15 >> > years and then faced the wrath of Konyi for another 10 or more years. >> Today, >> > foreign governments, NGOs etc have taken development projects to Acholi >> but >> > I don’t hear our politicians speaking on behalf of west Nile, which has >> been >> > devastated for nearly 30 years! >> > >> > It is my hope that we members of the different west Nile communities >> will >> > stand up to challenge our members of parliament to put the interests of >> west >> > Nile first ahead of their own interests. If we can all go back to our >> > communities and start influencing our people to elect members who will >> think >> > about West Nile as a whole, we shall have succeeded in our roles as >> brokers >> > of development in our region. >> > >> > Vasco asks an excellent question – what do we think West Nile will look >> > like in 20-50 years! In my presentation to the Koboko conference in >> December >> > 2007, I made a bold statement that by 2025, Koboko can be as developed >> as >> > any other part of the world, if and only if, the people take >> responsibility >> > for its development and not wait for other people to come and develop it >> for >> > them (that will never happen). >> > >> > If Koboko followed the Millennium Development Goals, within 20 years, we >> > could get to that state of desired development. However, I know that we >> > shall not be there because we have too many negative people amongst us >> just >> > like Moses had when He was asked to lead the Israelites back to the >> Promised >> > Land. It does not take 40 years to walk from Egypt to Israel as Moses >> did. >> > Moses waited for 40 years so that the old people who did not see his >> vision >> > could die off first. Since the life expectancy was 40 years at that time >> > (which unfortunately is the current life expectancy of most West >> Nilers), >> > Moses had to convince the younger generation that they had a place to go >> to >> > called Israel. >> > So brothers and sisters, I have said all that is in my head. Me, I am an >> > old man now and I have no time to waste. If you think these are good >> > suggestions, I will definitely work with you and if you think they are >> > nonsensical, I shall retreat and work with the few people with whom I >> have >> > been achieving results over the last two or so years. >> > >> > Charles Male >> > >> > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > WestNileNet mailing list >> > [email protected]< >> http://us.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> >> > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> > % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> > >> > >> > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >> way. >> > _______________________________________________ >> > >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > WestNileNet mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> > % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> > >> > >> > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >> way. >> > _______________________________________________ >> > >> > >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> http://orion.kym.net/pipermail/westnilenet/attachments/20090228/65846a06/attachment.html >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> WestNileNet mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> >> >> End of WestNileNet Digest, Vol 6, Issue 72 >> ****************************************** >> > > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > [email protected] > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. > _______________________________________________ > >
_______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
