It’s over, but the work has just begun

MS Uganda’s policy advisory board commends the baseline survey and encourages all to take up the new challenges

By Simon Sentamu, PAB member, and Rita Popo, PAB chairperson

Between May and July 2003, MS Uganda and 35 partner organisations were involved in a baseline survey focusing on good governance, poverty reduction and gender mainstreaming. The survey examines impact of the organisations in beneficiary communities, and it determines the gaps and loopholes that are slowing progress.

The MS Uganda policy advisory board (PAB) considers the assessment an initial success that can lead us to greater achievement.

Biting criticism of MS Uganda and partners is aired. The report ably exposes our weaknesses and poses serious questions about our work as partners and as individual organisations.

The best way to deal with criticism is to listen to it and analyse it. Do not let it get on your nerves, learn from it, seek others’ sincere opinion about it, examine the alternatives, and do something about it in the right direction.

What makes it interesting though, is the fact that we as partners are now clearer about our shortcomings and needs, which puts us in a better position to make appropriate decisions for improvements.

The exercise challenges us to ‘clean up our act’, and question ourselves whether we are making any difference in the livelihoods of communities.

What is in it for us?

The survey helps us examine how we are faring with governance issues: Are our organisation representative of our constituencies and how far are they participating in planning and decision-making? Are we accountable to our memberships, and do the members feel empowered and that they own the organisation? Do they have enduring common interests and do they derive mutual benefits?

We are encouraged to revisit our legal status, the composition and functioning of our annual meetings, our constitution and functioning of the board, secretariat and financial management procedures.

MS Uganda is to review the number of partners and how they fit in the MS programmes: How far are the partnership activities responsive to poverty reduction and promotion of good governance? Other tasks are to undertake mandatory mid and end-term evaluations, as well as set standard terms and requirements for partnership renewal. MS Uganda should also re-define criteria for strategic partner organisations.

Where do we go from here?

The onus is now on partner organisations to make a choice whether they are ready and willing to embrace the challenges and therefore undertake positive change or opt for maintaining the status quo.

MS Uganda on the other hand, has expressed continued commitment to building the capacity of partner organisations to a level where they have adequate capacity and capability in terms of institutional and management base, physical and financial base, towards sustainability of both organisations and programmes.

The big challenge is to be bolder and firmer on the benchmarks for partnership so as to better achieve the development goals.