Projects

Powering Health Centers in Uganda (PHCU)

Environmental Alert in Partnership with Südwind implemented the project Powering Health Centers in Uganda (PHCU) with support from the Federal Ministry of the Republic of Austria. The project is expected to last for 18 months and aims at supporting health centers (HCs) in hard-to-reach areas and refugee settlements in Uganda, within the Albertine rift, that are faced with energy access limitation, which compromises effective delivery of health services to some of the hardest hit communities by COVID-19. By installing new capacity, the Health Centers will dramatically increase their operations, thereby servicing 75 % more patients. At the same time, the project will engage with stakeholders like duty bearers and CSOs on the local, national, and international levels, raise awareness, and implement several different trainings.

About Environmental Alert

For more than 30 years, Environmental Alert (EA) has been working to improve livelihoods in Uganda through several interventions in sustainable agriculture, environment, and natural resources management. Currently, EA’s operations are in 20 districts across Uganda. EA undertakes structured service delivery, mobilizing communities and facilitating the development of their skills, approaches, and furthermore, this interaction generates experiences, lessons, and facts which inform EA’s issue-based advocacy agenda at the community, local, national, and international levels.

In the field of renewable energy Environmental Alert successfully implemented The Clean Energy Project (2016-2020) in partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature – Uganda Country Office (WWF-UCO) and other civil society organizations (CSOs) under the Renewable Energy CSO Network (RECSO), a Network hosted at Environmental Alert and private sector to facilitate access to off-grid Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) to rural households in the Albertine Rift region. Under the project, linkages between RET companies and civil society organizations (CSOs) have been created to facilitate last-mile delivery of RETs.

Project Goal and Outcomes

The project’s overarching goal is to contribute to the achievement of the Ugandan Strategies on Energy and Health and therefore to the achievement of SDGs 7, 3, 10, and 13. This goal is in line with SE4All’s current initiative, which aims to accelerate health facility electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The expected outcomes are:

Project consortium

Südwind: Overall project leader and coordinator responsible for reporting to the development partner. Furthermore, will lead conceptualization and implementation of engagements at the international level and also provide required technical backstopping to Environmental Alert.

Environmental Alert: Project lead for activities implementation at the national level, but also create linkages and coordination with the local implementing partners. Furthermore, it will provide technical support to the local implementing partners. Responsible for the consolidation of reports from local implementing partners and subsequent submission to SW for final consolidation before submission to the development partners.

KCSON: EA will subcontract KCSON for the conceptualization and implementation of activities at the local level, including mobilization and coordination at the local level. Furthermore, KCSON will prepare and submit related technical and financial reports to EA for consolidation.

PHCU Project Brief

The Rio Conventions Project

1.0. Background

Environmental Alert (EA) in collaboration with National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF); and in partnership with Advocates Coalition on Environment and Development (ACODE), and Nature Uganda, implemented a project called “Strengthening Institutional Capacity for effective Implementation of Rio Conventions in Uganda”. The project builds on the 2007 National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment (NCSA) on the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in Uganda.  This is a 4-year pilot project implemented in the districts of Buikwe, Jinja, Kayunga, Mukono, and Wakiso.

2.0. Objective

The objective is to strengthen institutional capacity for effective implementation and monitoring of the Rio Conventions in Uganda. The three Rio conventions project covers the 3 MEAs, namely the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).  The project will contribute to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss) and Goal 17 (Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development).

Details

Content about the STEP-UP Project

1.0 Background

Environmental Alert in partnership with Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) from Germany, Wageningen University (WUR) from the Netherlands, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Advisory board: Solidaridad-NL, IITA, Kenya Bureau of Standards, and National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND) from Kenya, National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), and Solidaridad Network from Uganda, implemented a project called “Sustainable Transition to Entrepreneurial Production in Agriculture through Upgrading” (STEP-UP). This project is implemented in Rwiimi sub-county of Bunyangabu district and Birere and Ruaaga sub-counties of   Isingiro district from 2019 to 2021, and it aims at identifying and implementing strategies to upgrade production, processing, and marketing of cooking banana (matooke) in two districts of Uganda. It combines research, development, and outreach-oriented activities in five Work Packages (WPs), and implements sustainable intensification (SI) and market linkage (ML) strategies to enable small farm enterprises (SFEs) to step up towards food and nutrition security, sustainable development, and income generation. STEP-UP employs a participatory multi-stakeholder approach where new technologies in cultivation, processing, and packaging are implemented and assessed in mango and banana food value chains (FVC) in Kenya and Uganda, respectively.

2.0 Project Objectives

The overall project objective is to contribute to food security and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa through equitable commercial relationships between SFEs and markets within the frame of sustainable agricultural production. It focuses on the heterogeneous groups of Smallholder farmers with an entrepreneurial ambition. STEP-UP supports smallholder producers to access relevant technologies, innovations, and management practices for the transition to commercialized production.

Details

Inclusive Green Growth for Poverty Reduction (lGG4PR) project

1.0 Introduction

The ENR-CSO Network Secretariat (Environmental Alert) in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment, with financial support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) implemented a 5-year program (2017-2021) titled “Inclusive Green Growth for Poverty Reduction (IGG4PR)”.

2.0 Program outcome

The IGG4PR Programme Outcome is that Natural resources management and energy access are gender responsive, effective, and efficient, reducing emissions, negating the impact of climate-induced disasters and environmental degradation on livelihoods and production systems, and strengthening community resilience.

The Environment and Natural Resources Civil Society Organization (ENR-CSO) Network is another civil society network that brings together local and international NGOs that work in the broader environment and natural resources sector. The ENR-CSO Network has an elected leadership and a secretariat that coordinates its activities. The Network is active in mobilising its members’ engagements in subnational and national forest policy processes, including the national and district budget cycles.

Details

Sustainable WASH (SusWASH) Project

1. Background

Environmental Alert (see Box 1 for further information) in partnership with Water Aid, implemented a 3-month project on Water Sanitation and Hygiene project titled Sustainable WASH (SusWASH) project. This project also supports KCCA directorates for Health, Education, and Strategic Planning to include elements that strengthen the sustainability of WASH services within their current plans. It is expected that KCCA will provide technical support, with due consideration of KCCA’s mandate in providing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Service (WASH) in the community.

This project aims to apply the learning and evidence generated from the SusWASH project to support Urban WASH policy processes as well as inform sector capacity development initiatives towards the sustainability of water and sanitation services. The work will be delivered in 4 months, starting December 2018 to March 2020

2. Targeted project sites and beneficiaries.

The project shall be carried out in two selected communities of Kamwokya Parish in central division and Kansanga in Makindye division, Kampala, and schools of Mirembe Primary School, Kansanga Seed Secondary School, Railway Primary School, Nateete Muslim High School in Rubaga Division, and Ntinda School for the deaf in Nakawa Division.

Details

COMMON MATTERS 2: LAND RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

Environmental Alert (EA),  Trac Fm, and PELUM-Uganda implemented the “Land Rights campaign,” which was part of the Common Matters 2 program. The overall goal of the campaign is to sensitize citizens to understand and respect their land rights when it comes to compulsory land acquisition and fair compensation. Help citizens to defend their land rights and be vigilant when they are challenged.’

The 6-month (Sept 2018-Feb 2019) project will use 10 local radio stations across the various sub-regions of Uganda (Central, North, Western, Eastern,…) to sensitize citizens and conduct surveys. The responses from these surveys will be processed and presented in an infographic format that can inform better planning of land service delivery, inform national-level advocacy on budget allocation to the Ministry of Lands, and, above all, inform the various policy processes on land.

The specific objectives of the campaign are:

1. To create public awareness about land rights and fair compensation.
2. To advocate for a citizen-centered approach towards land rights and policies in Uganda.

The Land Rights campaign will provide an alternative and open-access platform for citizens to debate pro-poor, just, and human rights-based legal land acquisition and compensation. Interactive radio polls, hosted on 10 radio stations throughout the country, will allow citizens to participate in a structured conversation regarding the proposed act, perceptions on land disputes, corporate interests, government interference, and fair land compensation. The campaign will also cover the position of the government in cases where individuals may obstruct development or infrastructural projects that could benefit the community.

Project Inception Presentation

Project Brief

STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE AND PROMOTING INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE PROGRAM (STRENPO) FOR WOMEN AND YOUTH IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES 2018-2021

Care International in Uganda implemented the “Strengthening Resilience and Promoting Inclusive Governance Program (STRENPO) for women and youth in vulnerable communities 2018-2021” project. The project is being implemented in partnership with the following partners: Environmental Alert (EA), Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), Rural Initiative for Community Empowerment (RICE West Nile), and Joint Effort to Save the Environment (JESE).

With a total budget of 1,106,818,232 Ugandan shillings ($305,984) for 4 years (2018-2021), EA will facilitate institutional and coordination of the Environment and Natural Resources-Civil Society Organizations, PROLINNOVA and UFWG Networks for building consensus for joint implementation of structured engagements that contributes to climate resilience at national and local level.

Details

INCREASING ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY ALTERNATIVES IN THE ALBERTINE GRABEN

Environmental Alert in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature – Uganda Country Office, implemented a project titled, ‘Increasing access to sustainable and renewable energy alternatives in the Albertine Graben.’ This is a 4-year project (2017-2020) with financial support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). Over the 4 years, the project will have interventions implemented at national, sub-national, and local levels to advance increased access to sustainable and renewable energy alternatives in the Albertine Graben. This will be through action research, targeted awareness, and policy dialogues.

Project Goal

The goal of the project is, ‘Communities living in the Albertine Graben have adopted sustainable and renewable energy alternatives to reduce dependency on biomass for their energy needs.’

Project Outcomes

The project aims to achieve the goal by contributing to three outcomes. These are:

1. Civil society in partnership with other agents of change, is transforming government and private sector decisions and practices towards sustainable and renewable energy development to the benefit of women, men, and youth.
2. Government, private sector, civil society actors, and local communities have adopted effective strategies and practices that support sustainable and renewable energy access in the Albertine Graben.
3. The government and private sector have put in place an enabling framework that supports increased financing/ investment for sustainable and renewable energy development.

 Targeted beneficiary groups

The target is 20 Civil society organizations and networks at the national level and 3 sub-regional hubs involved in the promotion of sustainable and renewable energy, as well as addressing issues that are interlinked with or rooted in poor access to sustainable, clean, and affordable energy among communities.

Documents 

Increasing Financing and Investments for Clean and Renewable Energy Access in Uganda: Policy and Practice Recommendations for Implementation at National and Local Levels.

More publications…

UNDP WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT – “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.”

Environmental Alert (EA) implemented a project on behalf of the Government of Uganda carrying out an assignment to “undertake a market, livelihoods, gender and GBV analysis in 3 districts of Bushenyi, Mitooma and Shema in the South Western Uganda to identify gaps, employment needs and income streams that are resilient to climate change and map on-going initiatives”. One of the outputs under the assignment to Environmental AlertUNDP WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT – “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.”

Environmental Alert (EA) implemented a project on behalf of the Government of Uganda that carried out an assignment to “undertake a market, livelihoods, gender, and GBV analysis in 3 districts of Bushenyi, Mitooma, and Shema in South Western Uganda to identify gaps, employment needs, and income streams that were resilient to climate change and map ongoing initiatives.” One of the outputs under the assignment to Environmental Alert was to support the No-Regret interventions carried out by the wetland-adjacent community groups.

During the project stakeholders’ inception meeting that was held on 14th August 2018 at Tuzza Hotel in Bushenyi district, stakeholders from the three project districts were consulted on which groups to consider, and three groups were identified from each district that contributed to the project goal of restoring degraded wetlands.

Further consultations were conducted, and two groups were chosen for support. For each selected beneficiary wetland user group in each district, surveys were conducted through focus group discussions, from which key enterprises were selected for support.

In the stakeholders’ validation meeting that was held in Sheema on 14th September 2018, the stakeholders agreed on these key actions, namely Apiary, Piggery, Aquaculture, Poultry, Goat rearing, Craft and art, and mushroom growing, as the most suitable enterprises for the support.

It was against this background that EA sought technical support to deliver on these selected actions for No-Regret interventions in the three districts of Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi.

EA organized to deliver specialized training for the identified No-Regret enterprise training needs to the two (2) selected Wetland user associations from 19th November 2018 to 8th December 2018 in the project districts of Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi. These trainings were part of the assignment to EA under the UNDP project; “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.” This project aimed at restoring the previously degraded wetland resources in those districts (Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi).

Assignment brochure,

Project brochure.UNDP WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT – “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.”

Environmental Alert (EA) implemented a project on behalf of the Government of Uganda that carried out an assignment to “undertake a market, livelihoods, gender, and GBV analysis in 3 districts of Bushenyi, Mitooma, and Shema in South Western Uganda to identify gaps, employment needs, and income streams that were resilient to climate change and map ongoing initiatives.” One of the outputs under the assignment to Environmental Alert was to support the No-Regret interventions carried out by the wetland-adjacent community groups.

During the project stakeholders’ inception meeting that was held on 14th August 2018 at Tuzza Hotel in Bushenyi district, stakeholders from the three project districts were consulted on which groups to consider, and three groups were identified from each district that contributed to the project goal of restoring degraded wetlands.

Further consultations were conducted, and two groups were chosen for support. For each selected beneficiary wetland user group in each district, surveys were conducted through focus group discussions, from which key enterprises were selected for support.

In the stakeholders’ validation meeting that was held in Sheema on 14th September 2018, the stakeholders agreed on these key actions, namely Apiary, Piggery, Aquaculture, Poultry, Goat rearing, Craft and art, and mushroom growing, as the most suitable enterprises for the support.

It was against this background that EA sought technical support to deliver on these selected actions for No-Regret interventions in the three districts of Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi.

EA organized to deliver specialized training for the identified No-Regret enterprise training needs to the two (2) selected Wetland user associations from 19th November 2018 to 8th December 2018 in the project districts of Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi. These trainings were part of the assignment to EA under the UNDP project; “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.” This project aimed at restoring the previously degraded wetland resources in those districts (Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi).

Assignment brochure,

Project brochure.UNDP WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT – “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.”

Environmental Alert (EA) implemented a project on behalf of the Government of Uganda that carried out an assignment to “undertake a market, livelihoods, gender, and GBV analysis in 3 districts of Bushenyi, Mitooma, and Shema in South Western Uganda to identify gaps, employment needs, and income streams that were resilient to climate change and map ongoing initiatives.” One of the outputs under the assignment to Environmental Alert was to support the No-Regret interventions carried out by the wetland-adjacent community groups.

During the project stakeholders’ inception meeting that was held on 14th August 2018 at Tuzza Hotel in Bushenyi district, stakeholders from the three project districts were consulted on which groups to consider, and three groups were identified from each district that contributed to the project goal of restoring degraded wetlands.

Further consultations were conducted, and two groups were chosen for support. For each selected beneficiary wetland user group in each district, surveys were conducted through focus group discussions, from which key enterprises were selected for support.

In the stakeholders’ validation meeting that was held in Sheema on 14th September 2018, the stakeholders agreed on these key actions, namely Apiary, Piggery, Aquaculture, Poultry, Goat rearing, Craft and art, and mushroom growing, as the most suitable enterprises for the support.

It was against this background that EA sought technical support to deliver on these selected actions for No-Regret interventions in the three districts of Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi.

EA organized to deliver specialized training for the identified No-Regret enterprise training needs to the two (2) selected Wetland user associations from 19th November 2018 to 8th December 2018 in the project districts of Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi. These trainings were part of the assignment to EA under the UNDP project, “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.” This project aimed at restoring the previously degraded wetland resources in those districts (Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi).

Assignment brochure,

Project brochure. was to support the No-Regret interventions carried out by the wetland adjacent community groups.

During the project stakeholders’ inception meeting that was held on 14^th August, 2018 at Tuzza Hotel in Bushenyi district, stakeholders from the three project districts were consulted on which groups to consider, and three groups were identified from each district that are contributing to the project goal of restoring degraded wetlands

Further consultations were conducted and two groups were chosen for support with each selected beneficiary wetland user group in each district surveys were conducted through focus group discussions, from which discussion key enterprises were selected for support.

In the stakeholders’ validation meeting that was held in Sheema on the 14th September, 2018, the stakeholders agreed on these key actions, that is to say, Apiary, Piggery, Aquaculture, Poultry, Goat rearing, Craft and art, and mushroom growing, as the most suitable enterprises for the support.

It’s against this background that EA seeks technical support to deliver on these selected Actions on no-regret interventions in the three districts of Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi.

EA organized to deliver a specialized training for the identified No-Regret enterprise training needs to the two (2) selected Wetland user associations from 19th November, 2018- 8th December, 2018in the project districts of Mitooma, Sheema and Bushenyi. These trainings are part of the assignment to EA under the UNDP project; “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda.” Which project aims at restoring the previously degraded wetland resources in those districts(Mitooma, Sheema, and Bushenyi).

Assignment brochure,

Project brochure