About AFARD

Living in
West Nile

The West Nile region is bordered to the North by South Sudan, to the West by the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the East by Acholi sub-region (Amuru and Nwoya districts) and to the South by Buliisa district. Administratively, it is composed of eight district local governments (Nebbi, Zombo, Arua, Koboko, Maracha, Yumbe, Moyo, and Adjumani) that have a projected total population of 2.7 million people. These people are predominantly rural (90%) and more than half are below 18 years.

The quality of life in the region is deplorable. Overall, 46% of the people live in extreme poverty (below US $ 1.25 per person daily). Life expectancy is a dismal 46 years. The literacy rate is only 59%. To many, safe water, electricity, telephones and television, and tarmac road are luxuries. In fact, the majority of rural people have not seen these “basic needs of life in a globalized world.”

Such undignified life has perpetuated aspiration failure traps and intergenerational poverty. To us sons and daughters of the region, it calls for protracted actions.

For West Nile region, the time to transform livelihoods is now!

Why AFARD
was formed

The Agency For Accelerated Regional Development (AFARD) is a local, not-for-profit, non-denominational, non-governmental organization (NGO) formed in July 2000 by professional sons and daughters of West Nile. AFARD’s formation was motivated by numerous reasons. First, political turbulence left West Nile as the extremely poorest region in Uganda next to Karamoja. Second, many development interventions have been external to local context leaving behind a people hardly changed. Third, decentralization has dismally improved people’s livelihoods given resource constraints and limited adherence to co-governance. Finally, that many sons and daughters of the region prefer to work elsewhere (human resource flight) limited innovations and enthusiasms to work for self-development.

Our vision

A Prosperous, Healthy, and Informed People of West Nile.

Prosperity is about economic resilience to livelihood shocks and stresses. Health focuses on enabling poor people to live long and productive lives. Finally, Informed is all about ensuring the people are literate, have marketable skills, and are active citizens with rights, spaces to do and be their aspirations, and voices.

Our mission

To contribute to the molding of a region in which the local people (men and women), including those who are marginalized, are able to participate effectively and sustainably and take a lead in the development of the region.

Values and principles

In AFARD, conduct and performance are underpinned by the following core values and principles;

Empowerment
Genuine Partnerships
Professionalism
Transparency and Accountability

Our philosophy

Our work is fundamentally guided by the belief that:

People know their problems better
It takes hard work to live a better life
Donors are friends en route to the beneficiaries’ desired ends
Poor people lead holistic livelihoods and support to them should be cognizant of this fact
Change is gradual; involving time, hard lessons, openness, and flexibility
Capacity building can neither be rushed nor pre-determined.

Legal status

AFARD is an affiliate member of a number of active Networks namely; Uganda National NGO Forum, Participatory Ecological Land Use and Management-Uganda Charpter,(PELUM); Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET); Uganda National Aids Services Organisation (UNASO); District NGO Forum in Nebbi, Yumbe, Pakwach, Zombo and Moyo Districts; and Nebbi AIDS Services Organisation Network (NASON)

AFARD is legally registered with the NGO Board (Reg.No.S.5914/3753)
Registered with the Registrar of companies (Reg. No. 45179)
Financial Intelligence Authority (Reg. No. FIA-14-00051)

Where we work

Afard
Plot 3-5 Butime Rd.
P.O. Box 80, Nebbi
Nebbi Town Council
Uganda

Phone: + 256 (772) 437175 and (782) 400 856
Email: afard@afard.net

Before AFARD’s intervention we used to have regular fights at night with my husband over inadequate food. With high yields from my garden, there is now enough food for everyone and fighting has stopped" - Mrs. Mozamil, Rhino Camp sub county, Arua district

Middlemen used to cheat us a lot when we were selling our produce individually. Now that we sell together, we fetch higher prices. I have been able to buy a motor cycle to diversify my business and income sources.

[WENDI] programme brought hopes to people who had no hope at all, a bright future to those who had failed aspirations, and value for effort for the staffs who earn little pay but do so much with devotion and dedication.

With Group Loans, I have been able to use my veterinary scout skills to provide commercial veterinary services to the community. I have bought myself a Sports Bicycle and a mobile phone. I am also able to pay school fees and stock my kitchen.

Many people only see the dirt in farming. Hardly do they know that it is wealth in your hands. By farming cassava and adding value, I now earn monthly UGX 1 million and employ 12 people. With this income, my children are in private schools. I have a boda boda cycle business and has embarked on a 5 roomed permanent house.

Chicken is always not kept for income. After my training in programmed hatching. I now rear chicken for cash. Every 3 month I sell at least 100 birds and earn UGX 1.5 to 2 million. With this income, I am able to pay my dowry, build myself a house, and expand the poultry business.

As a very poor farmer, my children had no hope for secondary education. However, the Community Education Fund is now paying all the school dues for my only son in secondary school. He has reached senior four and we are optimistic that he will reach tertiary education level.

Before joining AFARD programme he tried all sorts of work including migrating to Kampala city without any success. After the business management skills training he identified farming as business solution to his poverty. By taking group loan he invested in cassava production and value addition. I have never looked back, he notes. I earn UGX 10 million a year and has been able after 10 years of failed marriage responsibility to send his children to private schools and build a permanent house with solar light.