Development Response to Displacement Impact Project
Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP) is a World Bank funded Project through Investment Project Financing-IDA Loan to the Government of Uganda of about 50 Million dollars and is implemented by the office of the Prime Minister. It is a multi-sectorial development response by the Governments.
The regional operation addresses unmet social, economic and environmental needs in local host communities. The Project also focuses on addressing the impacts of protracted presence of refugees on the host communities in the 15 refugee hosting communities.
DRDIP was planned to run for 5 years and the project is expected to end in December 2023. DRDIP has 4 main components which include the following;
- Social Economic Infrastructure Development 60%
- Sustainable Environment and Natural Resource Management 25% Economic Empowerment[through Livelihood15%
- Project Management, Monitoring and evaluation.
DRDIP follows the Community Development Driven (CDD) model in implementation and generation of projects. The initially started implementation in the two sub counties of Kabwooya and Kiziranfumbi but with the additional funding during financial year 2019/2020 implementation was rolled out to other areas in cluding Kikuube Town Council, Bugambe subcounty and the refugee settlement in Kyangwali.
Under component 1 (Social Economic Services and Infrastructural Development) the district has cumulatively received a total funding of 17,380,000,000 Uganda Shillings to finance sub projects.
The Sub projects financed include; Out Patient Department at Kabwooya HCIII, Buhuka HCIII, and Maratatu HCII, Classroom construction at Kabwooya P/S, Nyawaiga P/S, Buhuka P/S, District Medical Stores at the district headquarters Kyamugasa-Nyamigisa- Madwiga 25KM road Project, Wairagaza Piped water system, Kituti- Rwenyawawa- Bukinda- Kavule road 30km, Nsozi P/S, Nkondo P/S, Kabwooya P/S, Nyawaiga P/S phase two, Wairagaza P/S, Wairagaza piped water system last phase, Rwobuhuka Kabira, Kihooko kabwooya kidubi road16km, Kikora-karokarungi, nyabunede, Kyarujumba road 14.5km, construction of the ground floor administration block at kikuube district headquarters
Some of the projects being implemented in the Kyangwali Settlement camp include
- Rwenyawawa P/S
- Karuhida P/S
- Kentomi P/S
- Mombasa HCII
- Maratatu P/S
The status of implementation of the above infrastructure is at different levels with 10 complete and 10 still at the procurement level.
Under component two (Sustainable Environment and Natural Resources Management) the following investment types have been funded in all the watersheds;Tree planting, Wetland restoration and demarcation, Nursery bed establishment, institutional greening, small scale irrigation schemes, Energy saving cook stove, briquette making and Solar lighting. Cumulatively a total of 6,753,693,625 shillings has been received by the district for sub project implementation. By design this component brought on board implementation in sub project implementation.
Under the second component Sub projects for wetland restoration and boundary demarcation, tree planting and cook stove making in the watersheds of Feta, Nyakabale, Kazirandindo, Buyanja, Kinakyeitaka and Kasonga in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement are ongoing. Cumulatively 231 acres in the host and 105 acres in the settlement of different tree species including Musiizi, Eucalyptus, Mahogany, Mackemia, Greveria, Baboo, Codia, Pine and Fruit trees have been planted in
Under component three (Livelihood Support Program) Investments are mainly in three categories; Grants for community interest groups, Village revolving fund for existing groups in the villages where we are operating, strategic investment fund for the 3 Old Watersheds Cumulatively the district has received 4,828,376,000 to support sub project implementation under this component.
Progress-to-date Over 80 Sub projects, Village Revolving Fund (32 VRFS and 61 SHGs and 03 SIF Projects, all of which are operational. Prior to implementation of these Sub projects, a training for the Community Project Management Committee (CPMCs) and Community Procurement Committees (CPCs) to equip the groups with DRDIP Implementation guidelines Once Implementation kicks off in the Sub projects, Environmental and Social Safeguards Management Plan (ESMP) is conducted with facilitation funds accounting for 5% of the project funds
The ESMP Training has been conducted on CIGs in Hohwa, Nyakaralike, Kaziradindo, masika, Feta and pending in Ruhonde and Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Sub projects. However the self help groups have not been formally trained in ESMP due to their funds being loans although there arrangements with the Community services, LSP and the SERM Focal Peersons to take them through the basics of ESMP. The yields harvested by the groups at the end of the season were not good as these were affected by the little rain with too much sunshine.
Challenges
- Late release of funds from OPM.
- Small land holdings for the intended beneficiaries.
- Climate change that affected crop production and tree planting
- Poor attitude and mindset of the beneficiaries
- Noncompliance to project guidelines by the beneficiaries.
- Challenges with land owners adjacent to the wetlands earmarked for demarcation.
Way Forward
- Continue supporting the communities in Sub Project Implementation in both the old and new Watersheds.
- Identification of new Sub Projects to be funded in the next financial year
- In conclusion the project is expected to take on more community recommended subprojects for the current financial year.