The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partner Amot Farmers Development Association Ltd (AFDAS) in Amolatar District, have organized the first Dimitra Clubs Forum in Uganda to stimulate exchange of experiences among clubs leaders and define the way forward.

The Forum also aimed at identifying the main results achieved by the clubs since the commencement of the pilot initiative. It brought together 44 leaders of the different Dimitra Clubs across 22 villages from Akwon subcounty and other key stakeholders including subcounty and district authorities, development partners and media representatives.

While speaking at the opening of the Forum, Ms Andrea Sanchez Enciso, Gender and Community Engagement Specialist, explained that “Dimitra Clubs are spaces for dialogue and action that enable rural women and men to work together to improve their livelihoods and reduce their rural isolation”. She added that the Forum is an important step in the Dimitra Clubs approach because it is in this phase that “Dimitra Clubs self-assess the results achieved and challenges encountered, and have the opportunity to present these to various development partners and local authorities.”

Ms Grace Mwangi, who supported the process of implementation since its inception as a Dimitra Clubs Expert, was impressed by the remarkable results achieved through this initiative in only 6 months of implementation.

“The Dimitra Clubs in Uganda have conducted in a short time a number of activities relevant to rural development, including addressing gender-based violence, food security and nutrition, agriculture, and more.”

Dimitra Clubs are a gender transformative approach pioneered by FAO with the aim of facilitating the socio-economic empowerment of rural populations, especially rural women and youth, so as to improve their living standards and food security through collective action and community engagement. Today, over 8,000 Dimitra Clubs exist worldwide, accounting for 260,000 members, of which 60% are rural women. It is estimated that the livelihoods of nearly 8 million rural women and men have improved thanks to this approach.

In Uganda, the Dimitra Clubs approach has been piloted in 22 villages of the Akwon subcounty in Amolatar District through a partnership with the local implementing partner, AFDAS, and a strong collaboration with the Government of Uganda, in particular with the Amolatar local Government.

While speaking during the Forum, Mr David Ogwang, FAO Program Specialist and Field Office Coordinator in Northern Uganda, said FAO has promoted the Dimitra Clubs for over a decade as its flagship community engagement and gender equality approach and for the first time in Uganda in 2023.

“Dimitra Clubs have highly contributed to gender equality in the communities and it is clear that integrating community-based approaches in development strategies is key to enhance livelihoods, community empowerment, social inclusion, and even women's agency and leadership. All elements that are essential in ensuring the sustainability of FAO interventions. Thanks to the success of this approach, the number of Dimitra Clubs has continued to grow.”

Mr Nawoya Bruno, District Chief Administrative Officer, in a speech read on his behalf expressed the importance of the Dimitra Clubs in transforming the lives of rural communities.

“What Dimitra has done to Akwon subcounty is tremendous. Schools have been re-opened and rehabilitated, communities have been able to work on their roads while seeking sustainable solutions to food security.”  

He commended FAO and its local partner AFDAS for the initiative and gave the assurance that the district would continue to partner with organizations whose work is tailored towards complementing government’s efforts of transforming lives in rural areas.

The Forum was organized in the framework of the FAO sub-programme entitled "Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition" funded through FAO Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC), a pool funding tool that allows resource partners to respond to development challenges in a cost-effective manner. This sub-programme focuses on expanding women's socio-economic opportunities, while contributing to hunger and poverty eradication, through various interventions, including the Dimitra Clubs approach.