Appreciative Inquiry at Hamukaaka Village

On 18th December, a crew composed of 2 farmer/facilitators, 2 Community Development facilitators, 2 observers and I went to the Amasiko site to facilitate a three days Appreciative Inquiry (AI) workshop with the residents of the village where Amasiko is located.
While working for a Broederlijk Delen a Belgian NGO, from 1999 to 2004, I was exposed to AI and got a training in the TCDC training centre in Arusha Tanzania. It was a rather difficult paradigm shift to move a way from the conventional Problem Solving Approaches to an approach looking for success, achievements. what people are proud as a basis for a vision and development planning. Introducing it in rural communities here in Uganda has been a great challenge. So many communities have worked with external facilitation and learned about problem solving. How do you feel when every time a stranger comes to your village and s/he asks about what is wrong in your place?, what are your problems? Finally one sees his place only as place full of problems, without development opportunities. In some areas it's even worse: The more problems a village can produce in front of facilitators, the more help will come, is a believe in some communities. depressing isn't it?
Also in Hamukaaka village we faced a similar problem: During the introduction meeting, leaders expressed that their village is are poor, resident have no money, there is no development, no help, harvests are poor, there is sometimes famine..........
When we went for the Appreciative Inquiry Workshop, facilitators were wondering, will this AI make a difference?
Well the answer is easy: YES, IT DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Christina, one of the two observers wrote a beautiful story on her blog: http://christinaswwworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/special-holiday-treat-appreciative.html

I believe the village as a whole has made a paradigm shift and action is going on. Three groups developed a vision for the future, three themes are selected as plans for immediate action:

• Women want to put their capacities together, train each other in specific handicrafts items, produce and market as a group.

• Men are starting a commercial poultry farm

• Youth formed a new group to save money, make bricks and build permanent houses for for each of the members in turn building one house after another.

After Christmas a second workshop is agreed upon, to work out detailed action plans.


Women prepare a vision for the village


participants make a combined village vision




preparing a meal for all participants

CELEBRATION!!!!