Urban Livelihoods Project (ULP)

Five short films have been produced giving an insight into the projects and the initiatives that it supports. Watch the Urban Livelihoods Project in action here...

Programme Background
This programme was developed as an independent but complementary project to the UNDP PPPUE programme, which LEU implemented in Uganda between 2002-2004.  The impetus came from the realisation that the PPPUE programme, although successful for middle-income communities, was not benefiting the poorest communities and their organisations. It was found that many community groups and emerging small businesses are prevented from involvement in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) because of organisational and capacity weaknesses and a perceived lack of credibility in entering into contracts. Therefore, building on the achievements of PPPUE, LEU sought to entrench the pro-poor PPP approach to urban service delivery through increased participation of community-based micro-entrepreneurs, specifically aimed at the poorest and most disadvantaged communities within six municipalities in Uganda.

Programme Objectives
The specific aims of this Comic Relief funded programme were:

• To generate income for households, groups and enterprises from disadvantaged localities in 6 municipalities through environmentally sound activities;

• To facilitate the involvement of groups and enterprises in partnerships with local government which address environmental problems in the poorest areas of the 6 municipalities;

• To build capacity and confidence among community organisations to engage with government to ensure that the voice of disadvantaged groups is heard and their right to a safe and healthy environment is respected.

• To facilitate sustained environmental improvement, and the benefits in health and well being stemming thereof, for the poorest communities in the 6 municipalities.

• To share and spread income generating waste recycling activities at household level.

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Programme Activities

From its previous work, LEU identified a number of successful household level initiatives that both recycle waste and generate income. This project was designed to encourage the spread of such activities, particularly targeted at women, through training and demonstration as well as wider promotion through various media.

Examples include: Backyard gardening, the growing of fruit, vegetables and mushrooms in sacks and tins, for sale or consumption.  The cultivation of plants vertically allows a high yield in a small area, typical of poor urban settlements; Manufacture of cooking fuel briquettes from plantain/banana peelings for domestic use and sale; Production of liquid fertiliser using household waste and domestic animal waste.

Support emerging small enterprises  
LEU has identified and worked with a number of community groups which are engaged in addressing environmental problems and whose activities have emerged as economically viable enterprises.  They are constrained in developing these initiatives to their full potential because of the need for business development advice and the lack of capital/credit.  The project addressed these constraints through the establishment of a business advisory function, based within LEU.  The key role of this advisory function was to provide operational business support – planning, marketing, growth – delivered by a combination of in-house expertise, consultants and experts working within the private sector who provide their services as part of their organisational corporate social responsibility directives.

Build capacity of local community groups and organisations
A structured capacity building programme was offered to community groups/enterprises enabling them to compete in bidding to provide services required by municipal authorities. As well as increased capacity to engage in the project objectives, the programme enhanced these organisations' effectiveness to address wider problems and reinforce their long-term viability.

Facilitate the development of partnerships with local government through micro-projects
The barriers of skills and capacity for disadvantaged people in developing partnerships with local government was addressed through activities outlined above.  The perceived lack of credibility needed to be overcome by establishing a track record of delivery and, to this end, the project facilitated project partnerships between poor peoples’ organisations and government.  Examples of such partnerships are in the areas of service provision such as waste management, clearing of drainage and structural improvements.

Documentation and dissemination of project learning
Promotion of successful activities is carried out through local mass media, particularly local radio. A series of working papers and a partnership “toolkit” for community groups is to be produced.  A conference on urban development which was convened in April 2008 served both to publicise the project and to enhance linkages and integration between key stakeholders.

Find out more about the conference and the urban livelihood initiatives showcased at the conference here...