05/08/2020

Message from SNV in Uganda Country Director

Message from SNV in Uganda Country Director

SNV Uganda Country Director shares her reflections on what the SNV Uganda team has been up to in the last quarter.

Welcome to our second issue of the SNV Uganda Newsletter that highlights some of our work amidst the challenging COVID-19 times, that we face globally and as a country. One of the key issues that many organisations face is how to get back to business in this ‘new normal’ without compromising the health and safety of employees, partners and the communities that we serve. I am happy to inform you that SNV Uganda staff have gradually shifted from working remotely to working from respective offices across the country while observing the required standard operating procedures. For SNV this means working in collaboration with our partners on the ground to reach target communities so that the available resources have greater impact at scale.

In this issue you will find a number of inspiring articles how SNV is supporting low income people improve their lives through increase in incomes, employment and access to basic services. The Inclusive Dairy Enterprise Project (TIDE) has strengthened cooperatives with 54 cooperatives now rated bankable and able to access products from financial institutions including commercial banks. Cooperatives like Abesigana Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society have successfully diversified their products and services, transitioning from simply bulking milk to processing their own yoghurt on commercial scale.

The Innovations Against Poverty grant support and advisory services has enabled companies to develop business ideas that solve social and environmental issues while at the same time maximising their competitiveness and profitability. Sanitation Africa Limited has been able to design innovative toilet solutions for hard to reach areas benefiting over 30,000 people and creating jobs for 70 youth.

Through the Improving Water Supply Sustainability Project (IWAS) project SNV was able to build the capacity of Hand Pump Mechanic Associations in Northern Uganda making them competitive enough to attract the interest of the Districts. In Dokolo for instance the Hand Pump Mechanics Association was contracted by the district to repair 62 water sources giving 15,500 people access to safe water.

We hope that you will be inspired by the stories featured in this newsletter!