Engabu Za Tooro receives the 1st installment from UNESCO to safeguard and revitalize Empaako naming system

Empaako monument in Fort Portal

Engabu Za Tooro (Tooro Youth Platform for Action) received the 1^st installment from United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) worth USD 116,060 on 23/02/2018 to safeguard and revitalize Empaako naming system in a co-funded project which will be implemented in a period of 21 months.

The local contributions to the Empaako UNESCO co-funded project is 20 percent totaling to USD 58,940 while UNECSO will provide 80 percent totaling to USD 232,120. The total project cost is USD 291,060.

The project titled, “community-self documentation and revitalization of ceremonies and practices associated with Empaako naming system in Uganda” aims to revitalize the practice of the Empaako naming system and its associated ceremonies in the five communities of Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi of Western Uganda.

The UNESCO co-funded support, will enhance the capacities of the communities concerned to transmit knowledge and skills to successive generations, and mobilize practitioners to revive the practice.

Clan leaders training on Empaako project

So far, some of the key outputs of the Empaako safeguarding project are the establishment of the state of the art documentation unit with high tech equipment at the secretariat, publication of the community based ICH documentation handbook of international standards and publication of rituals and ceremonies among Empaako communities.

In addition, other key outputs are making a video production on traditional rituals and ceremonies among Empaako communities adapted to different formats and audiences and establishment of the dissemination network involving electronic media, online media, publications agency system and spontaneous community meetings on the safeguarding and revitalization of Empaako in the 5 (five) Empaako communities.

Project management committee training

Engabu Za Tooro (Tooro Youth Platform for Action) has also launched the Twekwatiremu campaign to mobilise Empaako communities contribute the needed 20 percent contribution to enable the smooth implementation of the project.