Local Sustainable Communities Organisation (LOSCO) is a
not-for- profit Non- Government Organisation founded by a group of Church
Leaders, Social Workers and Local Community Development Workers to bring about
practical inclusive development through promoting inclusive policies and
practices. LOSCO emerged as a result of informal discussions and sharing of
experiences between Social Workers and Local Community Development Workers where women
participants testified to the extent the development effort had failed to
respond to the development needs of the marginalised community. One of the
reasons for the lack of domestic programming was attributed to lack of
appreciation of the role and impact that this distinct vulnerable population—women
and their families—had on advancing the development process. It was observed
that development partners in Uganda required support for including the
marginalized communities in decision making, strengthening management capacity,
and accessing current information on women and development trends and best
practice. It was further noted that given the opportunity, development partners
could advance an inclusive development process by providing the women groups
and their communities with the opportunity to participate and be engaged as
leaders in the development process. This opportunity had yet to be offered to
the majority of communities in Uganda.
In
February 2017, a defining moment in the structuring of the LOSCO under the
church arrangement was the establishment of the Working Group composed of
representative members from all the marginalised groups. Since the original
initiative, LOSCO has evolved into a legally registered Non-governmental
organisation under the Non-governmental organisation’s Registration Statute
1989. And it is incorporated under the companies Act, Cap. 110 as a company
limited by Guarantee;
Envisioning Stable and Sustainable
community development.
OFFICIAL STATUS
OF THE ORGANISATION
Local Sustainable Communities Organisation (LOSCO) is
a Not for Profit Non-Governmental Community Based Organisation in 2017,
Incorporated in 2019 under Uganda National Registration Bureau (URSB) as a company limited by guarantee and registered under NGO Act
2016 with National NGO Bureau regulated by Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National NGO
Bureau and Registered with the Financial Intelligence Authority.
It Envisioned a "Stable and Sustainable Community Development"
LOSCO is member of KICSOF (Kigezi Civil Society Forum), DENIVA (Development Network of
indigenous Voluntary Associations), NCHRD-U (National Coalition for Human
Rights Defenders Uganda), UYONET (Uganda Youth Network), CCEDU (Citizens' Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda), AWID (Association of Women Rights in Development), Defend Defenders, DPI (Defenders Protection Initiative), IIEA (Irise Institute East Africa), UNNGOF (Uganda National NGO Forum) and AFRONGO (African NGO Council) to create a
place with activities and support services that would cater to the specific
needs of a wider community. Today, we are the most dependable community based
organisation with a variety of programs and services. Since our inception, we
have proudly served several and different categories of persons in the
community and realize the significance of a positive influence on the
development of the society having established partnerships with different
Organisations and Government agencies like Kigezi Health Care Foundation
(KIHEFO), Kick Corruption out of Uganda (KICK-U), Kigezi Women in Development (KWID), Garden of Prosperity women
development association (GOP), Africa House of Hope (HOH), Kabale District
Local Government (KDLG), Kabale Municipal Council (KMC) among others and have a
strong governance structure with the General Assembly as the policy making body
to which the Board reports. The Board members are elected during annual general
assembly. The Board is composed of Chairman, Vice Chairperson, Secretary,
Treasurer and 3 members. It is responsible for making decisions and approving
development plans. The Executive Officer is an Ex Official to the Board Meetings and AGM.
The management structure has the Executive Director as
the head of the Secretariat and reports to the Board. He is supported by 5
experienced staff as Programs Manager, Finance & Administration Manager,
Programs Consultant and Programs officers.
Mission
Statement: LOSCO EXISTS "TO PROMOTE
COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION" THROUGH PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORKS WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER NGO's
Major Goal: To Advocate for Human Rights and Empower the distressed, needy, neglected and vulnerable population in Uganda Socially and Economically by providing them with necessary assistance for purposes of self sustainability and Development
The
Objectives are:
F To bring
social reforms in communities through training and sensitisation of individuals
and masses, Women empowerment organizing, mobilizing, developing capacity and
skills and creating provision of inclusion in decision making process in family
and community enabling them to become economically and socially independent.
F To promote
social Justice in all spheres of life such as education, health, recreation,
and employment, child protection and training in positive parenting and rights
and responsibilities of children and PWDs.
F To motivate
and empower people in various socio-economic sectors for their arousal and
working for community welfare and betterment of humanity.
F To do all
such other things as are incidental or conductive to the attainment of those
objects.
DESCRIPTION OF
THE KEY ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANISATION:
The work of LOSCO
is divided into five complementary and mutually supportive goals related to the
primary means of action: Advocacy, Education (capacity building)
through knowledge sharing, research & networking, Health and Agricultural
improvement through advancement & environmental protection as well as
infrastructural development.
