To eradicate poverty in Rwenzori, Govt must target youths between 18-30--Report

To eradicate poverty in Rwenzori, Govt must target youths between 18-30--Report By Francis Tusiime 4/6/2015 Kabarole In Rwenzori sub region, government must target youths between 18 and 30 years, a recent survey in the region indicates. The assessment was carried out by Toro Development Network (ToroDev), an NGO based in Fort Portal in 2014 in the districts of Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa and Ntoroko engaged majority of the youth respondents in the Rwenzori sub-region. “The assessment team found out that youth were more willing and attached great relevance on the role of information and knowledge sharing in promoting public accountability and poverty eradication processes than any other population group” said Mr Johnstone Baguma Kumaraki, the Executive Director at ToroDev on Wednesday. The assessment also found that majority of the men (67%) accessed and used information and were engaged in some level of knowledge sharing than women (30%). “This could be explained by a number of reasons. One of them could be access to information tools like radio handsets, print newspapers and others” Baguma reasoned. The findings, however, show that married couples (62%) access information and were involved more in some form of knowledge sharing than single or unmarried individuals (32%), especially women. “One could argue that there is a likelihood women still face a challenge of high costs to access or own information tools in the rural community” the study indicates. The survey also found that major discrepancies in information access and knowledge sharing for improved service delivery and poverty reduction in the Rwenzori sub region are not as a result of basic illiteracy, but rather capacity to interpretation and application of “information for development”. However, 55 percent of grassroot citizens in the Rwenzori region expressed need for information to address poverty eradication. “Particularly, community members needed information to improve their agricultural activities, knowledge to do business/entrepreneurship, demand accountability for improved service delivery in their areas and so curb down raising cases of corruption in leadership” the report said. According to Kabarole district chairman Mr Richard Rwabuhinga, political leaders also feel that access and use of information and knowledge sharing increase their chances of winning confidence from the electorate. “Engaging with local citizens helps political leaders to understand well priority service delivery needs of their people and how to address them” said Rwabuhinga.