Engabu Za Tooro 2019 Annual Report, Executive Director’s Statement:

 “A year of applying skills and competencies for comprehensive documentation of people’s ceremonies, practices and folk expressions.” Stephen Rwagweri Atwoki

 

Stephen Rwagweri attending a global meeting in Togo

Dear members and stakeholders, we bring to you the summary and impressions of our work in 2019. We are happy to note that, we achieved about 70% of our set targets for the year. These targets were set following the strategic priorities which include consolidating a diversified resource mobilization strategy and identified program area, developing human resources base for culture and building effective national and international networks.

“Tutemu Engaro self-help community fund” was launched at community level and generated interesting lessons and new opportunities both at community and international level.

Community resources like cows hitherto unknown to contributing to project budget were raised and a group of good will ambassadors to speak for a community fund among community members emerged. The drive led us to discover an emerging discussion at international level of the community philanthropy which seeks to change the perception of community members as mere receivers of charity in the development practice which is targeting them. In the 2020 we shall explore how we shall participate and contribute in this discussion at international level, using our initiative as a case study.

Projects on improving traditional handcraft skills to produce for the modern tastes, professionalizing performing artists and documenting clan totems and linking safeguarding of their cultural values to preservation of bio-diversity were developed and which will attract broad engagements with potential partners in 2020. The program of safeguarding Koogere oral tradition-an element which is inscribed on UNESCO’s Urgent Safeguarding List, was also developed to kick off a dialogue on accessing funding priority in two or three years time.

The year concluded a two years UNESCO co-funded project with deliverables including: A master piece publication on naming rituals of the five communities in western Uganda along with accompanying five video productions. The CIOFF-Uganda, a chapter of International Council of Organizations for Folk Arts and Festivals was launched by Prince Isaac Yamekue from Cameroon who was the CIOFF President for Africa along with other delegates representing country sections.

In the year under review, we went ahead with developing professionals in the culture sector, beginning with the technical team at office to process facilitators, community coordinators and documentation operators and trainers. It was the most challenging undertaking but also providing us with great lessons.

The operational targets for 2020 in order of priority will include the following:

1.       Consolidating deliverables and results of the concluding UNESCO-co-funded project UGA-01210 as back up material for resources mobilization. This will include publishing brochure and documentary on the project results and establishing mobile exhibition facilities for ongoing dissemination in public activities and engaging relevant institutions for reproduction of books and videos and their adoption as educational materials in schools and non-formal educational programs.

2.       Following up and engaging UNESCO structures for the prioritization of the developed safeguarding project of Koogere oral tradition.

 3.       Engaging several potential partners and customization of the three developed projects as stated above.

 4.       Linking our initiative of community self-help fund to the emerging international discussion on community philanthropy.

5.       Consolidating the established CIOFF-Uganda section towards an organization, which is independent of Engabu Za Tooro as a founding base.

Activities will focus more on project design, research and writing than festivals and big workshops since 2020/2021 is expected to be a busy electioneering period in Uganda.

2019 was indeed a year of results and we thank all our action teams and partners and hope for continued support in the years ahead.

Stephen Rwagweri

Executive Director/ Lead Consultant

To access the full report, download it here