Tomorrow Vijana, a refugee-led organization in Rwamwanja, Uganda, is currently collecting success stories on the refugee-led groups they have collaborated and supported. One of the selected refugee-led organizations (RLOs) for this initiative is Alpha Elimu. Alpha Elimu is a women's empowerment group that has received significant support from Tomorrow Vijana in the following areas:
Capacity building: Tomorrow Vijana provided Alpha Elimu with training on writing effective proposals. This training has helped Alpha Elimu to secure funding for their projects and programs.
Technical support: Alpha Elimu lacks specialized staff, so they rely on Tomorrow Vijana for technical assistance with tasks such as budgeting and proposal writing.
Education program: Tomorrow Vijana's education program provides Alpha Elimu's staff and beneficiaries with training in ICT and English. This training has helped Alpha Elimu to improve their efficiency and reach a wider audience.
Strategic guidance: Tomorrow Vijana provides Alpha Elimu with valuable ideas and advice on strategies to ensure the growth of their organization.
Equipment support: Tomorrow Vijana provided Alpha Elimu with a public address system, which they use for mobilization and disseminating information to the community.
Partnership: Tomorrow Vijana facilitated Alpha Elimu's connection with COHERE, a major partner that has provided Alpha Elimu with funding for their YTT (Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow) project.
Chantal Muhongayine, the Executive Director of Alpha Elimu, has spoken highly of the impact that Tomorrow Vijana's support has had on her organization. She attributes Alpha Elimu's success in securing a project with COHERE to Tomorrow Vijana's support. She also credits Tomorrow Vijana's training with helping Alpha Elimu's staff members to improve their skills and knowledge. Additionally, Tomorrow Vijana's assistance with the OPM application process was crucial to Alpha Elimu's acceptance by the OPM.
Chantal Muhongayine has the following suggestions for Tomorrow Vijana to further contribute to the growth of Alpha Elimu and other RLOs:
Continue providing capacity building sessions to RLOs, especially in the area of ICT.
Open branches in other areas to provide capacity building to emerging RLOs within the community.
Support small organizations in achieving compliance with government regulations.
By implementing these suggestions, Tomorrow Vijana can continue to empower RLOs and foster the growth of refugee-led organizations in Rwamwanja and beyond.
Conclusion
The success of Alpha Elimu is a testament to the importance of supporting refugee-led organizations. Tomorrow Vijana is playing a vital role in empowering RLOs and helping them to achieve their goals. By continuing to provide capacity building, technical support, and other resources, Tomorrow Vijana can help RLOs to make a positive impact on the lives of refugees and the communities in which they live.