PROFILE
APPROACH
STRATEGY
PHILOSOPHY
MODEL FOR IMPLEMENTATION
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH

During the process of social mobilization, UDI applies a participatory, self-help, self-sustainable approach through community involvement and formation of volunteer groups in remote rural areas.

A sustainable strategy is devised to achieve the maximum, a need based and right based approachinitiated ascertains the problem with fully community involvement and mobilizing all indigenous and local resources. The program goal is materialized with a helping hand from members’ donor agencies, Philanthropists.

Sustainable rural development is a dynamic process posing various needs at different phases oftime. These can be dealt with continuous interventions based on designed frameworks that incorporate the requirements projected by the communities and with the help of the communities by strategizing for public-private partnership.

Ugunja Development Initiative implements its programs through strong collaborations and strengthening the existing government structures. Ugunja Development Initiative also strengthens the capacity of Community Health Volunteers and other groups at community level to promote advocacy communication and social mobilization of its programs at community level for effective referrals.

Ugunja Development Initiative follows the below mentioned guiding principles in implementation of its projects/programmes;

1. Use of indigenous knowledge
2. Making efforts to achieve highest quality standards
3. Promoting a culture of innovation and creativity
4. Meeting deadlines
5. Enhancing networking and coordination
6. Facing challenges

1. Highly qualified, experienced and devoted professionals and board members and staff/ volunteers
2. Adaptability to cope up and meet the requirements of diverse socio-cultural environment.
3. Overwhelming support of local people.
4. Acceptance as a representative of common people of the area.
5. Extensive network to undertake initiatives at grassroots;
6. Availability of state-of-the-art modern equipment and tools;
7. Strong partnerships for undertaking innovative initiatives;

PROGRAMS
REPRODUCTIVE, MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH, COMMUNICABLE & NON-COMMUNICABLEDISEASES.GENDER BASED VIOLENCE.COMMUNITY ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN’S SERVICES & PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

Ugunja Development Initiative through collaboration with Siaya County Government and development partners strive to focus on advocacy for access to health issues affecting its residents at community level.Strengthening the referral systems and documentations to enhance service uptake and improve service delivery through cordial relationship between the service providers, referring agents (CHVs, PE, and CHC) and community. U.D.I implementation framework and strong partnership, collaboration and networking, will enable the community to significantly contribute towards reduction of maternal and childrelated morbidity and mortality, increase family planning uptake and identification and prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Ugunja Development Initiative is dedicated to working closely with all the partners, administration and lined Ministries in capacity strengthening of communities through advocacy on gender based violence forms, reporting systems, justice process among others in all formal and informal social gatherings/platforms through meaningful involvement of all stakeholders and partners at County, sub county, ward and community levels.

The poverty index is still high in Kenya, Siaya County being one of them with about 58% poverty index and illiteracy index of about 41%, with much effect to women due to high illiteracy index of about 70% accordingto 2009 Kenya Demographic survey. Ugunja Development initiative is widening the partnership with other networks to come up with measures that will support the County government in its implementation to reduce this burden through networking with development partners through established institutions in enhancing mobilization, sensitization and capacity strengthening on entrepreneurial skills to groups, financial literacy at community level. Further UDI strive to improve linkage to micro-finance and other agencies for purposes of raising capital for their businesses.

Orphans and Vulnerable Children is still a major drawback in development of Siaya County due to a number of reasons HIV/AIDs being a major. Hence they face a number of challenges including schooldropout as a result of lack of school fees, amenities and other basic needs at home. Ugunja Development Initiative is therefore through networks partnership strive to support through collaboration and partnership this program to contribute to 100% transition both from primary to University/Tertiary levels. Further, we developed framework that involve both boy and girl child especially menstrual and hygiene for girls in school and provision of sanitary towels, psychosocial support. However, UDI continue to advocate for people with disability’s rights, on access to equal opportunities and services at County and community levels.

THEMATIC AREAS
  • Health- (CD, NCD, SRHR)
  • Water Sanitation and Hygiene
  • Community Economic Empowerment
  • Basic Education and Literacy
  • People with special needs and Orphans and Vulnerable Children Environmental Conservation
  • Advocacy and Social Accountability