Entrepreneurship
Thirty-five URDT Institute graduates formed their own businesses and employ at least two other persons. Businesses include metalworking, mechanics, carpentry and food processing. Other graduates obtained positions in media, secretarial and management within the district.
More than 44 URDT-trained entrepreneurs received loans from microfinance institutions. URDT also helped several farmers gain access to microcredit to build nine fish ponds as a supplemental source of income beyond crop production.
URDT helped 237 people to become tea "outgrowers," growing tea on their own land for tea companies. These farmers receive tea management lessons at URDT's tea nursery.
URDT trained farmers to form professional associations to gain benefits such as easier access to markets/credit and improved crop production and marketing. More than 43 farmers are actively forming clubs.
URDT distributed 180 vocational toolkits to artisans in local districts. As a result, some artisans increased their monthly income from $28 USD to $140 USD. Fourteen percent built new home structures.
Girls' School & Two-Generation Education
URDT Girls' School enrollment increased to 214 girls, up from 60 at its inception in 2000. Eighty-seven percent of the girls' households reported improvements in sanitation, nutrition and income levels as a result of the school's two-generation approach to education and development.
Twenty-seven URDTGS parents' groups were trained in credit management and are prepared to access credit for further investments and improvement of household welfare.
Two URDTGS students were sponsored by FAWE and UNESCO to discuss children's rights at an international conference in Geneva. URDTGS participated in a UNESCO video documentary promoting girl child education.
KKCR and Rural Communication
KKCR reached a listenership of 4 million people with educational programmes on business enterprise, agriculture, natural resource management, local and international news, governance and accountability, education and health. As a result, listeners reported that they made more informed choices and were better able to hold their local government officials accountable.
Community members were very involved in the production of KKCR radio programmes, producing programmes on children, the elderly and local customs. Sub-county officials produced programmes on government plans and accountability. Farmers participated in a weekly on-air forum.
Community Education
URDT produced a Facilitator Guide for Gender and HIV/AIDS Education and distributed over 2,000 copies to 19 sub-counties.
URDT trained 22 Functional Adult Literacy instructors who formed a districtwide network.
More than 5,000 people received counseling from the URDT land rights office. The percentage of persons legally owning land increased from 77 persons in 2000 to at least 200 by 2004.
Through URDT programmes, over 500 households gained access to alternative energy sources.
Infrastructure Building
Kagadi received "town council" status. In 1987, Kagadi had only two streets and three businesses; today there are more than 10 streets and 30 businesses. URDT and its graduates have contributed significantly to these developments.
Promoting Peace
Balanced debates on KKCR contributed to high civic awareness and peaceful primary elections in 2005 when violence had been feared.
URDT published a paper on strategies to end the 20-year-old war in Northern Uganda and provided input to the draft protocols and action plan to operationalize the Dar-es Salaam Declaration on Peace, Security and Stability in the Great Lakes region.
Awards
At the 2004 UNICEF International Children's Day of Broadcasting, KKCR received the "Best Participatory Programming Award" and a URDT Girls' School student won "Best Presenter."
The Rotary Club in Kiwatule recognized URDT Chairman Mwalimu Musheshe for "selfless service" and URDT's achievements in sanitation, health and HIV/AIDS education.