Urban Livelihoods Project
The Urban Livelihoods Project in Uganda sought to generate income for households, groups and enterprises through environmentally sound activities.
This project is built upon and complimentary to the Public Private Partnerships for the Urban Environment (PPPUE), which was completed in 2004.
Project Background
Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban Environment (PPPUE) was developed in Uganda in 1994 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The initiative was set-up to increase the access of the urban poor in developing countries to basic urban services, such as waste disposal, water, sanitation and energy services, through the promotion of public-private partnerships (PPP). The initiative was therefore built on the idea that by working together, local government, business and civil society can pool their resources and expertise to develop the most sustainable and mutually beneficial services in order to improve the living conditions of the urban poor.
Early finds of the PPPUE initiative were that although there were significant benefits for mid-level organizations few activities were targeted towards the poorest communities in the participating municipalities. Therefore LEU set up the Urban Livelihoods Project (ULP) to directly address this problem and the specific needs of the poorest communities in the six municipalities.
Project Objectives
The specific aims of the Comic Relief funded ULP programme were:
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To generate income for households, groups and enterprises from disadvantaged localities in 6 municipalities through environmentally sound activities;
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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;
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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.
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To facilitate sustained environmental improvement, and the benefits in health and well being stemming thereof, for the poorest communities in the 6 municipalities.
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To share and spread income generating waste recycling activities at household level.
Project 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, manufacture of cooking fuel briquettes from plantain/banana peelings for domestic use and sale and 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.