Program: Epicenter Strategy

Program Description:

In Africa, THP’s methodology is implemented through epicenters, clusters of rural villages where women and men are mobilized to create and run their own programs to meet basic needs. Through the Epicenter Strategy, THP builds the capacity of rural women and men so they can successfully achieve lives of self-reliance and dignity.

Over an approximately five-year period, an epicenter becomes self-reliant, meaning it is able to fund its own activities and no longer requires financial investment from THP. More than 100 epicenter communities are mobilized in eight countries in Africa. Nineteen of those epicenters are now self-reliant.

The Epicenter Strategy is integrated and holistic. The centerpiece of the strategy is an L-shaped epicenter building where communities manage their own activities. The strategy achieves synergy among programs in health (including HIV/AIDS prevention), nutrition, education, adult literacy, empowerment of women, improved farming and food storage methods, microfinance, income generation, and water and sanitation. The strategy builds community spirit through a momentum of accomplishment involving the entire population.

The Epicenter Strategy is sustainable. The primary resources are the local people themselves and more effective use of local government services. Income generation is built into the strategy from the start. Moreover, an emphasis is placed on protecting the environment. People at our epicenters learn composting and small-scale, environmentally sound irrigation and fertilization techniques, as well as strategies for soil conservation, reforestation and water management.

 

Government officials are involved at every stage of the Epicenter Strategy. The first step is for THP to meet with government representatives to apprise them of our approach and gain their support. After the villagers build the epicenter multifunctional community facility and nurses’ quarters, the local government provides teachers, nurses, and supplies for the pre-school, adult literacy classes and health clinic.

 

A key component of the Epicenter Strategy is our Microfinance Program. The goal of the Microfinance Program in each epicenter is to gain government recognition for the microcredit facility to operate as a licensed Rural Bank, owned by community members and managed entirely by women. The recognition of the bank is a milestone event that signals the transition of the community into self-reliance as the Rural Bank provides the epicenter community with sustainable access to savings and credit facilities. To date, 19 epicenters in seven countries have gained government recognition and function as Rural Banks.

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An independent consulting team conducted a pro bono study and compiled a report based on three weeks in Uganda, interviewing government, staff and local constituents; collecting epicenter data; getting to know benchmark NGOs; and experiencing first-hand what The Hunger Project (THP) has accomplished in Uganda. In addition, the team gathered a fact base on the relevant issues for the social sector world in general.

Appreciating that distinguished economists and academics have devoted considerable time to solving the intricate and interwoven issues of eradicating poverty, this report makes a strong case that THP's impact in Uganda has been considerable. It concludes that though there is some way to go to meet stated goals, with strong local talent in place, an effective methodology and several visible case examples of demonstrated impact, THP-Uganda is poised for its next stage of development.

The report covers four topics: Uganda's challenging NGO landscape, THP's sources of distinctiveness, assessment of impact and recommended opportunities to pursue.

Read the report: Change to believe in: THP Uganda's impact (January 2009) (PDF, 1.05 MB).