Rakai NGO assists needy communities-Masaka Subregion Supplement

By Ali Mambule

Joyce Kaggwa a widow looking after over 10 grandchildren at Kammengo in Lwanda subcounty, is one of the beneficiaries of Rakai Counsellors’ Association (RACA) projects.

“I lost my husband ten years ago and my children passed away one by one. They left me with their children who I did not know how to raise but thank God, RACA intervened two years ago,” Joyce Kaggwa says.

The project helped her get seedlings, farm tools, pay school fees for some of her grandchildren, buy books, pens, pencils and clothes.

“I faced challenges feeding the children but now it’s not all that bad,” Kaggwa told the New Vision in an interview. She grows cassava, maize, beans, matooke, sweet potatoes and other foods to feed her grandchildren.

Peter Mawanda (19) of Katuntu village in Rakai town and Dennis Kawalya of Kitaasa village in Byakabanda sub-county are also proud to be associated with RACA.

“When I failed to raise school fees in S3, I totally lost hope until I heard that RACA was registering children of my age to train them in metal works,” Mawanda recalls.

He makes metallic doors, windows and other items which he sells to make a living.

“With the knowledge I have acquired from Raca, I know I’ll get a better living,” Mawanda says.            

A number of boys like Mawanda and Kawalya are registered and taken to various workshops near their homes and trained in different activities that can enable them earn a living.

“After training them, we give each of them a tool box consisting of all the necessary items that can enable them start their own workshops,” the project manager Fred Kasozi explains.

RACA is a local non government organisation initiated in 1993 by 62 Volunteer AIDS Counsellors trained by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). It was formed  as a response to the psycho social needs of the HIV and AIDS infected and affected individuals in its area of operation. Its main office is based at the Rakai District headquarters.

Since inception, RACA has implemented several projects mainly in HIV prevention and mitigation targeting Persons Living with HIV, the Most At Risk Population, Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children and female headed households.

RACA has a board of nine members who execute duties on behalf of the general assembly, the top-most policy and decision-making body for the organisation.

RACA’s vision is to have an HIV/AIDS free environment where all men, women and children enjoy a healthy livelihood. The organisation assists vulnerable community members to address the causes and effects of HIV/AIDS through service delivery, networking and collaboration as well as capacity building and advocacy.

Their projects cover HIV and AIDS education, economic empowerment, care, support and advocacy. Their development partners include Danchurch Aid, Independent Development Fund, The Civil Society Fund of Uganda, International Labour Organisation, World Vision, and Mygoodpoints. Others are CIPA, COWESER, RACOBAO, RANASO and Rakai District Local Government

The organisation is currently operating in 14 sub-counties of Rakai District where different projects are being implemented. They include the Rakai OVC Hope Project, Rakai Partnership HIV and AIDS Project, Support to National Action Programme, Strengthening HIV/AIDS Responses and Practices and Rakai Community Based Rights Project.
Raca helps families that were infected or affected by the scourge.

“Our major focus is on the child and widow headed families although we consider all people experiencing this problem,” Kasozi says