Concept Note – A Life of Aguu
Project Background.
The Northern Region of Uganda has been affected by violent conflict for over 22 years, leading to the establishment of communities like the ‘’Aguu Community’’ in Gulu district. These communities, as well as IDPs in the region, face numerous challenges such as lack of access to basic needs, trauma and mental health issues, gender-based violence, limited access to education, inadequate housing and infrastructure, and lack of legal protection. GPSU has been conducting social surveys to understand the challenges facing the ‘’Aguu Community’’ and similar communities in the Northern Region and is planning to raise awareness of the issues through a documentary series and feature film. The organisation is supporting government efforts to address the root causes of poverty, conflict, and social exclusion by providing technical assistance, working closely with stakeholders, and empowering marginalised groups. Through its initiatives, GPSU is promoting sustainable community development, building peace and reconciliation, and empowering marginalised groups in the Northern Region of Uganda.
A Life of Aguu
GPSU has conducted social surveys on the life of the “Aguu Community,” a group commonly known as a “gang of criminals.” They have identified several challenges the community faces, including conflicts over land and natural resources, changing gender relations leading to high levels of domestic and sexual violence, high school dropout rates, youth unemployment, and inadequate transitional justice and reconciliation processes. The community is affected by direct impacts of conflict and risks of complex conflict dynamics. Youth exclusion, inadequate post-conflict truth, reconciliation and transitional justice processes, and IDP return and reintegration challenges are the cross-cutting conflict drivers. Many young people face challenges of poverty, unemployment, low educational attainment, and poor governance, and their return to communities has led to stigmatisation and scapegoating for crime and breaches of community peace. The community has high illiteracy rates and inadequate access to basic services, which increases insecurity in communities.
Problem Statement
Despite the end of armed conflict in Northern Uganda 22 years ago, the region is still plagued by various issues and processes that continue to fuel conflict. Grievances from the past remain unresolved, and there is a risk of trigger events that can push communities from latent to overt conflict. The manifestation of conflict has become more frequent and violent, including incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, an increase in teenage sex workers, and the creation of teenage gang groups. Young children are also joining these groups because they have no other alternatives. The overall situation in Northern Uganda is not peaceful, and there is a need to address the underlying issues and dynamics that continue to drive conflict in the region.
Proposed interventions
Global Pathways to Success Uganda (GPSU) is addressing the ongoing conflict in Northern Uganda by working closely with the ‘’Aguu community’’. GPSU conducted social surveys to understand the challenges faced by the community, and over 90% of respondents reported similar setbacks. GPSU has reached out to marginalised groups, including women, teenage mothers, disabled individuals, children, and youths, to understand their specific challenges and provide practical solutions to address their needs. Many in the community feel left behind due to discrimination and stigma from the history of war in the region. GPSU is exploring income-generating activities to provide economic opportunities and promote self-sufficiency among conflict victims. This approach addresses the root causes of conflict and promotes sustainable development. By prioritising the needs of marginalised groups, GPSU is working towards building an inclusive, just, and equitable society. This intervention is a significant step towards creating a peaceful and sustainable future for Northern Uganda, the following interventions can be proposed:
- Conflict resolution and peacebuilding
- Gender equality and violence prevention
- Education and employment opportunities
- Transitional justice and reconciliation
- Basic services and governance
An integrated and multi-faceted approach involving collaboration with the community, civil society groups, traditional leaders, religious institutions, government agencies, and other stakeholders to promote sustainable development and reduce poverty in the community. These interventions are intended to address the root causes of conflict and promote self-sufficiency among conflict victims, building an inclusive, just, and equitable society.
Proposed Follow-up Activities
The proposed follow-up activities for the documentary project is to raise awareness about the rights and support services available to victim groups in ‘’Aguu community’’ which include conducting a needs assessment, developing a script, recruiting a film crew, identifying and engaging beneficiaries, filming the documentary over a period of one month, and conducting post-production editing. Post-production activities include conducting a pre-documentary survey, capturing audience feedback, conducting monitoring visits, conducting a post-project evaluation, planning for sustainability, and documenting success stories. These activities aim to measure the impact of the documentary and ensure that the intended outcomes are achieved while developing strategies to maintain the project’s impact over time.
Expected results
The expected results of the project are:
- Documentation of progress: A clear record of the progress made in implementing the project, which will provide valuable insights into what worked well and areas that need improvement.
- Distribution of services to beneficiaries: The intended beneficiaries of the project should receive the services provided. These services will contribute to improving their lives and well-being.
- Continued campaigns: The ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the project will contribute to the success of the project by creating a wider reach and increasing support from the local community.
- Meeting with local leaders: The engagement with local leaders will contribute to the success of the project by securing their support and addressing any concerns they may have, thereby promoting community ownership.
- Expansion work plan development: Developing a plan to expand the project will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the project, which will lead to the provision of additional services to more beneficiaries.
Overall improvement of the lives of the beneficiaries, increased access to essential services, and stronger relationships with local communities.
Timeframe
The Time Frame consists of four weeks of activities aimed at producing a documentary and implementing a sustainable project to benefit a specific target population. During the first week, a needs assessment is conducted, a script is developed, and a film crew is recruited. Beneficiaries are identified and engaged, and filming of the documentary is conducted. In the second week, post-production activities are carried out, including editing the video to produce a high-quality and compelling final version. A pre-documentary survey is conducted, and monitoring visits are conducted. During the third week, audience feedback is captured, and a post-project evaluation is carried out. In the fourth week and beyond, awareness campaigns continue through outreach programs, social media campaigns, and other communication channels. Local leaders are engaged to seek their support, and an expansion work plan is developed to reach more beneficiaries and provide additional services. A sustainability plan is developed to ensure the project’s impact is maintained over time. Success stories from beneficiaries and stakeholders are documented to use in future awareness campaigns and showcase the project’s impact.
Project Sustainability
The first strategy is to establish partnerships with local organisations. This means that GPSU will work with existing organisations in the community to provide ongoing support for the project. By partnering with these organisations, GPSU can leverage their existing resources and expertise to ensure that the project’s impact is maintained over time. For example, GPSU can partner with local NGOs, community-based organisations, and government agencies to continue providing support to the beneficiaries.
The second strategy is to train community members to continue the awareness campaigns. GPSU will conduct training sessions for community members on how to continue the project’s outreach programs, social media campaigns, and other forms of communication used in the project. By training the community members, GPSU aims to empower them to take ownership of the project and ensure its sustainability. This will also create local champions who can promote the project’s initiatives and increase its reach in the community.
The third strategy is to seek funding to support the project’s continuation. GPSU will work to secure funding from various sources to ensure that the project has the resources it needs to continue. This may include seeking grants from international organisations, partnerships with both local and international organisations, agencies and individuals, and fundraising campaigns. By securing funding, GPSU can continue providing the necessary services to the beneficiaries and ensure that the project’s impact is sustained over time.
Overall, the sustainability plan for GPSU’s Aguu community project focuses on establishing partnerships with local organisations, training community members, and securing funding to ensure the project’s continuation. These strategies aim to empower the community and ensure that the project has the resources it needs to continue positively impacting the beneficiaries’ lives.
Proposed Budget
The proposed activity budget will take a duration of one month which includes a documentary short and follow-up activity on “The Aguu community” is estimated to be $29,500. The budget is divided into four weeks, with each week having specific activities and associated costs.
| Documentary | Duration | Cost |
| -Needs assessment -Script development -Film crew recruitment -Beneficiary identification -Documentary filming | Week 1 | $9,000 |
| -Post-production -Pre-documentary -Survey Monitoring visits | Week 2 | $7,500 |
| -Audience feedback -Post-project evaluation | Week 3 | $4,000 |
| -Awareness campaigns -Local leader meetings -Expansion work plan -Sustainability plan -Success story documentation | Week 4 | $9,000 |
| Grand total budget: | $29,500 |
Regular review and update of the budget will ensure that the project remains financially sustainable.
