Full Name: Rural Initiative for Community Empowerment – West Nile
Acronym: RICE-WN
Type of Organization: Local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
Registration Status: Registered with Registrar of Companies (by Guarantee) and National NGO Board
WHO WE ARE
Background
Rural Initiative for Community Empowerment - West Nile (RICE-WN) is a Ugandan Community Based,
Multidisciplinary, non–profit making, Local Non-Governmental Organization working in West Nile, Acholi
and Bunyoro Sub-Regions of Uganda and parts of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Headquartered in Arua Town in the West Nile Sub-Region of Uganda, RICE-WN continues to make a
profound and progressive contribution towards the development of rural and Peri-urban communities in
Uganda in the areas of Environment and Natural Resources, Community Health, Sustainable Agriculture,
Development Research and Human Rights, Peace & Governance.
RICE-WN has two branches. One Branch office is based in Moyo. This caters for the districts of Adjumani,
Moyo and Yumbe. The second Branch office is in Nwoya. This caters for the districts of Buliisa, Nebbi,
Zombo and Nwoya. The main office in Arua caters for the districts of Arua, Maracha and Koboko.
History
RICE-WN started in 2004 and got registered in 2005 as a local community based organization (CBO) with
Arua District Local Government (No. 445) and later got registered with Registrar of Companies of the
Republic of Uganda as a company limited by guarantee in 2009 (No. 114390). Currently, the organization is
registered with the National NGO Board (No. 10062)
Right from her formation, RICE-WN was built on three key words namely Empowerment, Rural
Development and Community Focus. This is a deliberate focus on hard to reach communities to enable
them grow out of poverty and indifference.
RICE-WN was formed because a group of people started reflecting on the question that communities used
to ask them whenever they came for holidays and the question was “what have you brought for us?” The
five members recognized their obligation to give back to the communities what they have learnt giving rise
to ideas of empowerment, rural development and community focus.
RICE-WN started getting funds in 2007 and the level of funding has been increasing since then to date.
The number of full time staff has reached about 40. They are all committed group of people running the
projects being implemented. Additionally, RICE-WN has a number of Community Volunteers at the
grassroots level and also works with the already established government community structures to achieve
her Mission.
The needs in the communities are still great but the resources are limited. That is why members still have
much work to do as far as contributions and resource mobilization is concerned.
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ORGANIZATION TENETS
Vision: A model community based services provider for holistic transformation.
Mission: To advance and promote healthy community development
Core Values:
The values of RICE-WN can be summarized in the acronym 'STRENGTH' standing for:
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Simplicity
Team spirit
Respect
Excellence
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Novelty
Guardianship
Time consciousness
Honesty
RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS
Over the years, RICE-WN has enjoyed the trust of partners and thus, the increase in the number of the
partners. Additionally, the number of communities served and scope of activities have increased
tremendously. The good work RICE-WN does have been recognized by a wide range of stakeholders as
follows:
On August 7, 2014, the NGO Quality Assurance Certification Mechanism Committee awarded RICEWN an NGO Quality Assurance Certificate for the quality work and best practices that the organization
does.
Nwoya District Local Government recognized RICE-WN on October 19, 2014 for the distinguished
service to the young people in the District, the Global Fund for Children as a partner for 2014-2015,
Agro ProFocus Uganda for supporting West Nile Agribusiness (June 20, 2014), Arua Municipality –
River Oli Division as the best service provider (2012-2013), Minnesota International Health Volunteers
(WellShare International) for successfully completing a comprehensive request for application
procedure under Uganda Malaria Partnerships (UMCP) 2008 – 2010. RICE-WN also won an award
form Malaria and Childhood Illnesses Secretariat (MACIS) in 2013
WHAT WE DO - PROGRAM AREAS
COMMUNITY HEALTH
[Outcome 1.1: Improved Community Health]
A Healthy Community is the one everyone desires to live in. To achieve this, RICE-WN creates awareness
in HIV/AIDS, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation, Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health hence
promotion of good health seeking behaviour and practices resulting in to increased productivity and better
living.
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH
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[Outcome 1.2: Informed Community Development Interventions designed]
Research plays a key role in designing useful development interventions. RICE-WN relies on Careful
community needs assessments through participatory approaches in order to design community driven
projects that are sustainable. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning is used to assess performance based on
set milestones, learn from it, & share best practices.
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
[Outcome 1.3: A more Sustainable environment and natural resource management
mechanisms in place]
Sustainable environment and natural resources management is essential for community driven
development. This does not only translate into ownership but also responsible use and management.
RICE-WN focuses on environmental protection and efficient utilization of natural resources through
promotion of renewable energy, pollution prevention, tree growing, promotion of sustainable land use and
promoting best practices in oil and gas management.
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
[Outcome 1.4: Sustainable agricultural practices promoted]
RICE-WN focuses on promotion of good agronomic practices for food security and income generation for
improved livelihood among the communities.
GOVERNANCE, PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
[Outcome 1.5: Well governed communities that are proactive for their development]
Good governance constitutes stable communities and is a pillar to sustained development. RICE-WN’s
focus is to increase community participation in governance and demanding for transparency and
accountability in service delivery. This is done through involvement of communities in planning and
monitoring interventions, increasing youth participation in development agenda, creating an empowered
community that has a voice in governance
EDUCATION PROMOTION
[Outcome 1.6: Increased access and improved quality of education in Primary, Secondary
and Business Education]
In this initiative, RICE-WN focuses on promoting access to formal education in primary and secondary
schools while emphasizing good performance for both boys and girls but a special interest is put on girl
child education. Further attention is paid to the development of practical skills for youth both in and out of
school.
CROSS CUTTING THEMES
[Outcome 1.7: Crosscutting themes (ICT, Gender, Human Rights-Based Approach, Conflict
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Sensitive Approach, Public-Private Partnerships) Mainstreamed in RICE-WN Policies and
Programmes]
RICE-WN focuses on integrating the crosscutting themes in its policies and programmes. . The purpose of
the crossing cutting themes is to ensure an all-inclusive and progressive approach to programming. These
themes include ICT, Gender, use of Human Right-Based Approaches in programming, conflict-sensitive
programming and Public Private Partnership which are key in implementation of sustainable
programmes/projects in communities.
RICE-WN STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2019
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
Promoting sustainable community development programs
Sustainable community growth is at the core of all RICE-WN interventions. The SP 2014/15-2018/19 will
continue to orientate all focus on innovative approaches that empower and inform communities with RICEWN primary role as facilitator and common linkage between community and potential partners. This
particular strategy will reinforce all previous interventions through increased emphasis on community
ownership and community responsibility for maintainable program designs.
STRATEGY DIRECTION 2: ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Strengthening the Capacity and Systems of Governance and Management
This strategy will entail the strengthening of the internal managing framework within the organization. RICEWN aims to fortify both staff and BOD roles and responsibilities whilst simultaneously designing clear
policies that will meet the needs of both the population and organization.
The institutional mandate to ensure that the SP works well lies in the hands of the governance bodies.
RICE-WN looks forward to strengthening the Advisory Council, BOD and the secretariat to ensure long
term success.
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3: PARTNERSHIPS AND NETWORKING
Strengthening existing networks and partnerships
RICE-WN values its friends; furthermore RICE-WN advocates an inclusive working environment. In this
understanding, the SP for 2014/2015- 2018/2019 will place increased emphasis on both maintaining
current relationships and catalyzing fresh linkages.
RICE-WN values partners and networks and advocates for an inclusive working environment. The SP for
2014/2015- 2018/2019 will place increased emphasis on having functional and active partnerships and
networks by 2019.
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 4: RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Achieving a sustainable financial base, attracting and retaining effective human
resources, maintain and increase asset.
Whilst RICE-WN champions self-reliance in community level interventions, she too believes in self-reliance
at an organizational level. Responding to this need, RICE-WN will focus on increasing resource base for
both human and non-human resources. The focus will split into three areas namely increasing financial,
human and other asset base for RICE-WN.
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PARTNERS AND PROJECTS
Below are some of the funding partners we have worked with on different projects in the recent years and
to date:
CONTACTS
Organization – Head Office
Physical Address:
Postal Address:
City/Town:
Country:
Email Addresses:
Telephone:
Website:
Contact Person
Plot 3B, Mvara-Oluko Road, Arua Town
P.O. Box 481,
Arua
Uganda
[email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected]
+ 256 393 280 576
http://www.riceuganda.org
Name:
Title/Position:
Email Address:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Mr. Pax Sakari
Executive Director
[email protected] , [email protected]
+256 393 280 576
+256 773 472 234 , +256 712 353 669
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Executive Director RICE-WN, Mr. Pax Sakari (left) and LCV Chairperson Nwoya (right) during a Multi-Stakeholder
Regional Dialogue on Oil and Gas held at Desert Breeze Hotel – Arua on April 4, 2014. Present were Officials from
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Total E&P, Hon. Atiku Benard (MP
Ayivu Constituency), Staff from Democratic Governance Facility (DGF), District Officials (RDCs, LCV, CAOs, etc),
Sub-County Leaders, and Civil Society Representatives from Arua, Nebbi, Nwoya and Buliisa districts.