Caleb, Congratulations for setting the ball rolling on the West Nile Foundation (WNF). I have some observations and I was hoping to provide them all at once but that can't due to time constraints. I will for now focus on the following for your consideration:
1) Governance 2) HQs Location 3) Membership 4) Loans for members 1) Governance: In my own humble opinion, there should be a non-execuive board of directors (BODs) headed by the Chairperson and then Directors. All these would be part-time positions. The BODs would be responsible for policy and overseeing the executive of teh Foundation. The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation should be the Executive Director, hired by the BODs. This could start part-time and then become a full time position depending on funds. The Executive Director would be deputized by Directors for each District of WN. In the absence of the ED, one of the Directors would act. 2) HQs Location: If WNF is to cater for the development of WN, then it's HQs should be located in WN - preferably in Arua with a Liaison office in Kampala. The HQs may only be in Kampala on a temporary basis if there is not enough funds to set up an Arua office. As the Foundation grows, offices can be opened in the various district hqs. 3) I thought teh foundation is to cater for the people of West Nile as a whole. According to plan so it seems that it is a member-based foundation which principally will benefit the members who are currently on WN Net and those who will join over time. I need to be educated further on this because I thought that membersship to the Foundation should only be limited to West Nile NGOs and Civil Society or Community Based Organizations. I beleive that if we combed West Nile with a fine comb from village, Parish, Subcounty and County level, we could find close to 4000 West Nileans who have access to the Internet. I use the example of Kobokonet where we have more that 250 members and yet compared to more populated counties with more graduates, I beleive we could easily find close to 600 or more from each of Maracha, Terego, Ayivu, without mentioning Nebbi and Moyo districts. WNF needs funds to start with and this can be raised through voluntary contributions from those on WNNet and others who are not on the Net. This can be the job of the Executive Director. We have successfully raised funds voluntarily for Kobokonet projects and I know the will is there on WNNet to raise funds to start the Foundation. Even though few people will come forward, they will do so wholeheartedly and not feel that they have been forced to do so. In this way we can still keep WNNet as a forum for everyone whether they have paid money to the Foundation or Not. From my personal expereince, the few people who care will always support a worthy cause. Once we make it manadatory for WNNEt members to donate, the expectations for something in return will rise and once those expectations aren't met, problems may begin to arise. 4) Loans for members: In my opinion we should steer away far from offering loans for members from the Foundation unless Foundation members open a separate SACCO to cater for that purpose. Starting a loan scheme from the Foundation funds for members could easily destroy the Foundation. The only loan scheme I would encourage would be tied to the Student AID - soft loans (low interest loans) for needy students instead of grants. In my experience many of the young people who have received free financial help from relatives don't even care about extending help to the younger ones. A loan scheme will weed out the serious students from those not serious. Of course we can forgive the loans on extenuating circumstances such as disability or death of the receipient. Funds for the Foundation: The USAID Office in Kampala does provide funds for Civil Society Organizations and the Foundation could start with making inquiries. Will submit more comments as I reread the document. Charles r 1, 2010 at 6:45 AM, Alioni Emmanuel Drajole <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, Mr. Alaka Caleb and Members of the foundation, > > > > I have had the opportunity to read through, understand and internalize the > draft Constitution and I find it such an intricate draft Constitution and a > well research work, well job done. > > However I would like to make a few interpretation and annotations for the > contemplation of the members of the foundation before they are incorporated > into the draft Constitution as follows: > > > > · In my opinion there should be under the Articles of Association a > ``DISSOLUTION CLAUSE``. > > > > · That under the Articles of Association Art 2 should be merged > with part 1 of the Memorandum of Association. > > > > · ``PURPOSE`` under the Articles of Association, from Art 3 to 6 > should in my view fall under the Memorandum of association which form > part of the objectives of the Foundation and the wording changed *OR* the > word ``PURPOSE`` be substituted with the word `` VISION STATEMENT`` > > > > · Art 1 in the Articles of Association should in my opinion be > merged with Art 54 and the said Art 1 be deleted. > > > > · A provision be made for how the foundation shall offset its > liabilities that arise in the course of its operation though it’s a company > limited by Guarantee and not having a share capital. > > > > · About the on going discussion over the features that should > appear on the seal of the foundation, due regard should be made to other > similar existing or already registered Marks to avoid infringing on other > peoples Mark. Those features in my opinion should have been a requirement > for the Foundation’s Logo not necessarily for the seal. > > > > With these not many observations, if measured by the forum coupled with > ones made by other members, I believe we shall draw closer to enacting a > living Constitution for the Foundation. > > > > ALIONI EMMANUEL DRAJOLE > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > *To:* [email protected] > *Sent:* Mon, March 1, 2010 8:00:05 AM > *Subject:* WestNileNet Digest, Vol 19, Issue 2 > > 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: The Draft Constitution of West Nile Foundation (Ezama Ruffino) > 2. Re: The Draft Constitution of West Nile Foundation (Caleb Alaka) > 3. Names of Members on the Draft Constitution (Caleb Alaka) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:06:30 -0500 > From: Ezama Ruffino <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] The Draft Constitution of West Nile > Foundation > To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> > Message-ID: > <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Hi Caleb > In the draft constitution I think in 8. Seal we need to include the cock > (au > logo-symbol of the Madi people). > Thanks > > Ruffino > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > http://orion.kym.net/pipermail/westnilenet/attachments/20100228/dbfc7b50/attachment-0001.html > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:31:28 -0800 (PST) > From: Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] The Draft Constitution of West Nile > Foundation > To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > It makes sense because Madi is big, what of the symbol of the Alur, Kakwa > and even Lugbara. Father I have seen a Leopard as the Symbol of West Nile at > the murals of Parliament. Is it true our Parliamentarians on the net?. But I > buy the idea of au logo (the Cock) being included. Cheers > > --- On Sun, 2/28/10, Ezama Ruffino <[email protected]> wrote: > > > From: Ezama Ruffino <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] The Draft Constitution of West Nile Foundation > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> > Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010, 10:06 PM > > > > Hi Caleb > In the draft constitution I think in 8. Seal we need to include the cock > (au logo-symbol of the Madi people). > Thanks > > Ruffino > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > > _______________________________________________ > 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/20100228/b5468f64/attachment-0001.html > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:39:11 -0800 (PST) > From: Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> > Subject: [WestNileNet] Names of Members on the Draft Constitution > To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > If your name is miss pelt or doesn't appear, don't take offence, Just point > it out, we are going to compile a members register > > > > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > http://orion.kym.net/pipermail/westnilenet/attachments/20100228/90f69d1c/attachment-0001.html > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > [email protected] > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > > > End of WestNileNet Digest, Vol 19, Issue 2 > ****************************************** > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. _______________________________________________
