Extending BAP Coverage

After careful consideration during one of our meetings about our BAP future plans, it was decided that this winter BAP should extend its services to another IDP camp/village of Kinene in Amuru district(originally part of Gulu). The two IDPs of Kona Nwoya and Lulyango that we initially implement our project are in the same sub-county as Kinene. In fact the local councils of Lulyango and Kona Nwoya are for the most part the same as those for Kinene. Kinene is located on the way to Lulyango and while implementing our pilot project, the people of kinene were not pleased when the say bicycles on a track being carried to Lulyango because they also disparately need them. Little did they know that their day would come so soon as five months later.

During my first day in Gulu, i met up with our project manager, Alex.We talked for hours about what has been going on with the program and also got a chance to take a look at the receipt book for the payments which apart from a few issues looked very good. The next day (Wednesday), we traveled to the two villages to solve some issues that Alex had raised.

Among the issues Alex was facing is one of our beneficiaries who claims that he lost his bicycle. On the contrary, there are several witnesses that say this is a lie saying that he sold it. Fortunate for us, our terms of agreement that this young man signed, carefully details what the consequences of selling the bicycle are. While i met with this young man, he mentioned that he will be able to pay back the full cost of the bicycle (after realizing that his lies were failing him) in installments of 50,000 shillings after which we will evaluate if he is worthy to be trusted again.

Another case is rather complicated. One gentleman who was supposed to pick up a bicycle for a relative on the distribution day is said to have picked up more than one bicycle using a false name. Again there are a number of witnesses in the community that claim that he had this bicycle. Some how he was able to take advantage of the rainy day chaos during the distribution and take two bicycles. This case is yet to be resolved this Sunday when we get to meet with all the BAP beneficiaries and identify what really happened.

It is great that the community understands that the success of our program depends on them. When a beneficiary does something wrong, community members are willing to say the truth because they want our program to continue so that they can benefit from it. Nonetheless, BAP learns from every issue that arises at any one point.
During our distribution in Kinene, all instances that can result in such issues will be avoided.

Other than the above two issues, the program is running very well. The payments are exceptionally going well and we hope it continues that way.

keep posted, more to come about the interviews we have done in Kinene.

Muyambi