STUDY ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF ENTREPRENEURS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE IYB UGANDA PROGRAMME
by Steven Nkumbi Mukiibi, Federation of Uganda Employers
with David Mulya, NUDIPU- Kampala
Preface
The International Labour Organization (ILO) works to promote freely-chosen, quality employment for working age people, including persons with disabilities, worldwide. In the developing world, employment often means self-employment. One ILO programme has been particularly effective in assisting individuals to start a small business or to improve one that has already been initiated. The Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) Programme of the ILO, providing practical management skills training for small business operators, has been introduced in over 60 countries of the world.
One of the first countries to benefit from the Programme was Uganda. Early in the then-titled Improve Your Business or IYB Programme, several disabled entrepreneurs were included in IYB Training of Trainers seminars. This lead to the training of increasing numbers of disabled individuals, both those already in business as well as others who desired to set up their own commercial activity. The success of the Uganda Programme in training disabled entrepreneurs has lead SIYB programmes in several other countries to target business persons with disabilities for training.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Branch of the ILO has been assisting many developing countries to implement programmes, services and credit schemes to help disabled individuals to begin income-generating activities in their own communities. Because of the success of the Uganda IYB Programme, it was decided, together with the Small Enterprise Development Section of the Entrepreneurship and Management Development Branch, to undertake a study on how disabled individuals became involved in and benefitted from the training, with a view to informing and encouraging others. It is hoped that this Study Report will help promote increased access to business management skills training for persons with disabilities everywhere.
Bob Ransom
Vocational Rehabilitation Branch
Employment and Training Department
Acknowledgements
This study would not have been completed without the help of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), Action on Disability and Development (ADD) and other organizations. Numerous individual disabled persons also kindly provided the information on which this report is based. It is not possible to mention them all by name but to all of them thanks are due.
February 1997
Table of contents
Introduction 1
IYB: The package and the programme 1
Organized effort to empower people with disabilities in Uganda 2
The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) 2
The involvement of disabled persons in the IYB programme in Uganda 3
A brief comment on the table 5
Follow-up aspects. 6
How disabled persons have benefited from the IYB programme 6
General benefits 6
More specific benefits 7
Benefits to disabled persons as a group 7
Action on Disability and Development (ADD) 8
Financing IYB activities for disabled persons 9
Roles played by NUDIPU 10
Challenges in delivering the IYB package to people with disabilities 11
Specific needs of disabled persons in relation to IYB 12
Visually-impaired entrepreneurs 12
Hearing-impaired entrepreneurs 13
Persons with physical disabilities 13
Trainers with disabilities 14
Some comments from beneficiaries 14
Institutionalization 16
Utility 16
Motivation and support 16
Complementarity with other objectives of the organization 17
Financing 17
Institutionalization of IYB in NUDIPU 17
Institutionalization of IYB in Action on Disability and Development 18
Conclusions and recommendations for more effective delivery of IYB to people with disabilities in Uganda 18
Annex 20
Introduction
The present report is a case study of the short- and long-term value of the ILO Improve Your Business (IYB) package to disabled people in Uganda. The paper begins with some background information on IYB and on people with disabilities (PWDs) in Uganda. It then outlines the process of introducing IYB to disabled people and describes the quantitative and qualitative achievements over time. Finally, the paper attempts to forecast the role that IYB is likely to play in developing and enhancing the welfare of people with disabilities in Uganda.
The information contained in the paper came both from documentary sources and first-hand from disabled persons. Documentary information was obtained mainly from the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) and the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda. FUE is the umbrella organization for disabled persons in Uganda and the channel for IYB activities to PWDs. First-hand information was obtained from a sample of 20 respondents representing a continuum of experience, from individuals who had have had minimal contact with IYB to people who have had fairly extensive contact with the programme. The questionnaire used is attached as an annex. The report includes quotations from interviews, which reflect the feelings of the respondents.
IYB: The package and the programme
Improve Your Business (IYB) is a management training package designed for the owners and managers of small businesses. It provides training in skills that will enable entrepreneurs to manage their business in a more professional manner, and the subject matter is delivered in a simple and practical way. The backbone of IYB training is the IYB basics - six booklets on buying, marketing, costing, record keeping, business planning, and stock control. These booklets are used in the course of training and they serve as reference materials after the course.
IYB was introduced in Uganda in 1988 through the Federation of Uganda Employers, which has served as the focal point ever since. The programme is implemented through training-of-trainer (TOT) seminars and training-of-entrepreneur (TOE) seminars. TOT seminars were conducted by the ILO regional project office in Harare until 1995, in order to develop trainers who would then train entrepreneurs. TOEs are three-to-five day seminars targeting entrepreneurs, with a view to enhancing their managerial skills.
IYB has been implemented through a network of collaborating organizations, which sign an agreement with the focal point (FUE) and contribute to the cost of IYB activities. They also agree to put in place a framework for institutionalizing IYB, so that it will become part of the regular activities of the collaborating organization. An elaborate system of follow-up and reporting has been developed during the eight yearsÕ experience of the IYB programme in Uganda.
Organized effort to empower people with disabilities in Uganda (NUDIPU)
Until 1987 very little effort was made in Uganda to empower people with disabilities. A few individuals had formed small groups, either independently or with the assistance of an international donor organization. However, all these efforts were characterized by fragmentation and ineffectiveness. They had a negligible impact on the welfare of disabled persons nationwide.
November 1987 saw the beginning of events that led to the formation of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), an umbrella organization representing the interests of small groups as well as individuals. The creation of NUDIPU was the beginning of a more visible organized effort not only to empower disabled persons, but also to create awareness among able-bodied Ugandans of the special challenges that face the disabled in Uganda. With support from international donor agencies and organizations for people with disabilities, the efforts at empowerment grew rapidly.
The pinnacle of the movement was the inclusion of a clause in the Uganda Constitution of 1996 providing for disabled people to be represented in the Government. In 1996, the first disabled personsÕ representatives were elected to parliament. At last, the views and aspirations of the disabled could be directly reflected in the laws of the nation. Today disabled persons in Uganda are represented by five members of parliament directly elected by disabled persons themselves.
However, a greater battle has been the enabling and empowerment of disabled persons at grassroots level, particularly those who have only elementary schooling. Here the struggle is far from over. Nevertheless, significant strides have been made and IYB has been part of the effort to empower the disabled, to enable them to support themselves and to overcome extreme poverty and deprivation. In this respect, the nationwide coverage of NUDIPU has been of tremendous value.
The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU)
NUDIPU acted as a central point to bring people with disabilities together. During this process various needs were identified, among which were the following:
(a) The need to improve the everyday life of disabled persons in terms of providing for basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter and medical care.
(b) The need to sensitize the general public to the situation of people with disabilities.
(c) The need to alleviate poverty among people with disabilities.
Alleviating poverty was considered an appropriate strategy to address (a) and (b) above. In order to survive, people with disabilities were running microenterprises on a hand-to-mouth basis. Skills were needed to help PWDs manage these hand-to-mouth businesses. The aim was chiefly to make the businesses more productive and possibly to permit savings in order to reduce poverty. On the other hand, disabled persons wanted to change from being the Òpoorest of the poorO to being professional entrepreneurs who are Òjob-makersO rather than Òjob-seekersO.
The involvement of disabled persons in the IYB programme in Uganda
NUDIPU came to know about the IYB package when Mr. David Seguya, who was running the Disprosproco Egg-Tray Project (a small scale industry), learned about the IYB programme through the Federation of Uganda Employers. The Egg-Tray Project qualified for membership in the Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA), so David Seguya was selected for TOT training under the Association. Being a disabled person himself, he passed the information on to NUDIPU, where the idea was warmly welcomed.
NUDIPU suggested two other names for TOT training. These were the then Executive Secretary, now the Honourable Eliphaz Mazima, representing disabled persons in the western region, and Mr. Faustin Odubuwun, tailoring instructor at Kireka Industrial Rehabilitation Centre. Three disabled persons followed TOT training, which was conducted in 1988 in the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), then the Institute of Public Administration. Other participants were from various organizations including the Uganda Commercial Bank. However, it was not possible at that time to launch the IYB programme. Another TOT was then organized in 1990 where six of the 17 participants selected were from NUDIPU. It was from this time, October 1990, that the NUDIPU IYB programme in particular, and probably the Uganda IYB programme in general, became well known in eastern and southern Africa.
The newly qualified trainers were able to organize a series of courses to train some of the very first entrepreneurs under the IYB programme in Uganda. Since the first series of seminars, NUDIPU has had the capacity to conduct training of entrepreneurs, follow-up courses and training of trainers. Below is a table which shows the number of entrepreneurs and trainers trained at various levels and the seminars conducted by NUDIPU trainers.
Table 1: Number of trainers and entrepreneurs reached by NUDIPU
| Count | Date | Venue | Male | Female | TOT | TOE | RTOT | RTOE | BIG | IC |
| 1 | 14 - 15.02.94 | Kampala | 0 | 15 | * | |||||
| 2 | 25.02 - 1.03.96 | Kampala | 0 | 14 | * | |||||
| 3 | 29.04 - 3.05.91 | Kampala | 0 | 18 | * | |||||
| 4 | 19 - 23.04.92 | Kampala | 0 | 15 | * | |||||
| 5 | 21.09 - 25.09.94 | Luwero | 6 | 18 | * | |||||
| 6 | 28 - 30.11.94 | Mbale | 6 | 15 | * | |||||
| 7 | 14 - 16.08.96 | Mukono | 7 | 6 | * | |||||
| 8 | 19 - 20.03.94 | Jinja | 7 | 1 | * | |||||
| 9 | 2 - 3.09.93 | Kampala | 7 | 2 | * | |||||
| 10 | 6 - 9.07.93 | Nebbi | 8 | 3 | * | |||||
| 11 | 19 - 23.03.95 | Masindi | 9 | 3 | * | |||||
| 12 | 20 - 24.03.95 | Kyegegwa/
KYA |
9 | 8 | * | |||||
| 13 | 8 - 10.11.93 | Mbarara | 9 | 6 | * | |||||
| 14 | 13.02 - 17.02.92 | Masindi | 11 | 7 | * | |||||
| 15 | 16 - 20.12.91 | Mbarara | 11 | 8 | * | |||||
| 16 | 30 - 31.03.94 | Kireka (Vodiu) | 11 | 2 | * | |||||
| 17 | 23 - 24.03.94 | Arua | 12 | 18 | * | |||||
| 18 | 25 - 29.09.95 | Kasese | 12 | 8 | * | |||||
| 19 | 26 - 30.03.96 | Malaba | 12 | 11 | * | |||||
| 20 | 26 - 27.04.94 | Kampala (deaf) | 12 | 6 | * | |||||
| 21 | 3 - 7.10.94 | Bundibugyo | 12 | 10 | * | |||||
| 22 | 9 - 12.08.93 | Iganga | 12 | 3 | * | |||||
| 23 | 16 - 19.03.92 | Jinja | 13 | 5 | * | |||||
| 24 | 28.6 - 2.7.93 | Soroti | 13 | 6 | * | |||||
| 25 | 23 - 27.08.93 | Kampala | 14 | 7 | * | |||||
| 26 | 23 - 27.09.91 | Nebbi | 14 | 3 | * | |||||
| 27 | 30.11 - 4.12.92 | Soroti | 14 | 7 | * | |||||
| 28 | 6 - 8.03.93 | Arua | 14 | 5 | * | |||||
| 29 | 27 - 31.01.92 | Kireka | 15 | 2 | * | |||||
| 30 | 21 - 25.01.91 | Kampala | 18 | 3 | * | |||||
| 31 | 3 - 6.12.90 | Iganga | 18 | 2 | * | |||||
| 32 | 24.09 - 5.10.90 | Kampala | 11 | 6 | * | |||||
| 33 | 25.02 - 01.03.91 | Jinja | 14 | 4 | * | |||||
| 34 | 12.04.91 | Kampala | 13 | 3 | * | |||||
| 35 | 13 - 16.08.91 | Jinja | 18 | 2 | * | |||||
| 36 | 21 - 23.06.93 | Kireka (Mdwa) | 14 | 3 | * | |||||
| 37 | 14 - 17.06.93 | Jinja | 13 | 4 | * | |||||
| 38 | 28.06 - 02.07.93 | Soroti | 6 | 3 | * | |||||
| 39 | 05 - 07.07.93 | Nebbi | 8 | 3 | * | |||||
| 40 | 2 - 3.09.93 | Kampala | 7 | 2 | * | |||||
| 41 | 29.9.95 | Kasese | 1 | 0 | * | |||||
| 42 | 29.9.95 | Kasese | 0 | 1 | * | |||||
| 43 | 30.9.95 | Kasese | 5 | 3 | * | |||||
| 44 | 21 - 22.02.94 | Kasese | 11 | 4 | * | |||||
| 45 | 5 - 9.10.92 | Kasese | 12 | 6 | * | |||||
| 46 | 20 - 24.06.94 | Kabale | 13 | 7 | * | |||||
| 47 | 28.08 - 7.09.95 | Kampala | 7 | 7 | * | * |
A total of 47 courses of all types were given by NUDIPU trainers and master trainers. They represent the bulk of courses conducted for disabled persons in Uganda and make up the largest number of courses conducted by any one collaborating organization during the programme. In some cases, the training was held under fairly difficult circumstances. One other agency working in the area of disability organized courses independently of NUDIPU. The five courses organized by Action on Disability and Development (ADD) are shown in a separate table on page 9.
The data indicate a very high level of motivation on the part of the trainers, probably arising out of faith in the package, and a genuine need for courses on the part of recipients.
The table also indicates that the courses were quite evenly distributed around the country except for the north of Uganda, which has been suffering the adverse effects of insecurity.
Sixteen out of the 47 activities were conducted in the central region of the country, 13 in eastern Uganda, 11 in western Uganda and seven in the northern area. Although more activities were based in the central region, the excess over other regions is not great. Moreover, given the population distribution and the location of urban and business centres, the excess is negligible.
The location of training is particularly significant in the case of people with disabilities. Given the limitations of this target group, the location of activities directly translates to access. In this case, it appears that access to IYB training was fairly equal for all disabled persons across three regions of Uganda, namely, the east, the west and the centre. The north definitely suffered a disadvantage because of instability there and its effect on logistics.
In all, some 754 people with disabilities benefited from one sort of IYB activity or another. Of these, 459 were men and 295 women. The ratio of male to female was approximately 1.5:1. This is lower than the general ratio of men to women among IYB recipients in the Uganda programme, which was reported at 2.6 women to one man (Evaluation of the IYB programme, Andante, A.B., Swedecorp, 1994). However, it is not adverse and if gender balance is the issue, NUDIPU was not far off target. This policy is in line with NUDIPUÕs gender and disability policy in all activities.
The table does not give much information on follow-up, although this is one of the most significant aspects of IYB training. The data show that 235 entrepreneurs participated in refresher courses (RTOEs), eight in business improvement groups (BIGs), and 38 in individual counselling (IC). No further refresher training of trainers (RTOTs) took place.
Beyond refresher training of entrepreneurs, follow-up for the whole of the Uganda programme was a difficult area. The business improvement groups and individual counselling conducted by NUDIPU were some of the few arrangements that could be made (two business improvement groups have been reported in the Uganda programme). NUDIPU is thus one of the leading organizations with regard to following up trainee entrepreneurs. Clearly, given the statistics, training and follow-up are still not good enough. Nevertheless, people with disabilities can be said to have received better interventions, qualitatively speaking, than those offered by other collaborating organizations.
An analysis of NUDIPUÕs performance rating is made here even though the terms of reference for this study are the services provided to disabled persons in general, because NUDIPU represents disabled people in Uganda. The assessment is also important for future planning because it indicates that a good framework exists for the delivery of effective training and assistance services. This framework requires only minor improvements.
How disabled persons have benefited from the IYB programme
In this section we attempt to consolidate and categorize the views expressed by disabled persons who have followed IYB training. Without exception, all reported that they had benefited from the programme, albeit to differing degrees. Some could only generalize by saying ÒIt has helped me to improve my businessO, while others were more specific, saying ÒI can now keep precise records for my business transactionsO.
All respondents reported benefiting from the programme. Some were clearly referring to the fact that IYB training made it clear to them that business is not a haphazard activity but a predictable discipline. One entrepreneur said, ÒI found out more about management; that you have to be organized and concentrate on your businessO. Others alluded to the value of meeting other business people and exchanging ideas. Some said that they had kept in touch with people they met on the course.
Sales: Out of the 20 entrepreneurs interviewed, five reported a clear increase in sales. While they could not immediately give precise figures in terms of a percentage increase, their estimates ranged from a 5 to a 10 per cent rise over a period of one year. It is worth noting also that where an increase in sales was reported, the subsequent outlook of the disabled entrepreneur was markedly positive. A typical remark was: ÒAt this rate I should be able to build a strong business that will make me wealthyO. In other words, for these individuals IYB also turned out to be a tool for psychological empowerment and the development of a positive outlook on life.
Employment: Two people reported that after implementing IYB principles in their business, they were able to employ a total of five people (altogether). The employment benefits would probably not be so significant in this context except that three of the five newly employed people were also disabled. In this instance, therefore, one could say that there were employment benefits for disabled persons.
Access to credit: Four of the respondents indicated that IYB was beneficial in helping them with access to credit. Some obtained credit from a revolving fund credit scheme managed by NUDIPU, while others got credit from other sources. Explaining how IYB helped them negotiate a loan, recipients said that the programme helped them articulate their business objectives clearly. They were therefore able to communicate effectively with the credit administrators and convince them that they could repay the debt. Two of the respondents said that after IYB training, they were able to draft good business plans which again convinced the credit institutions that they would be able to manage and pay back the loan. However, one respondent said that for him, attending the IYB seminar was a prerequisite to obtaining a loan. This gives the impression that in some cases the financial institution may have insisted on the applicant attending an IYB seminar.
Management of credit: A disabled woman who runs a small tailoring business reported that the IYB programme helped her manage the credit she obtained, so that by the time of the interview she had nearly completed her payments, all instalments having been made on time. According to her, ÒIYB helped me to plan for the credit payments and to get new markets so that my turnover increasedO. Her statement, of course, also indicates that her ability to meet the repayment schedule was not only the result of proper business planning, but also of improved marketing strategies.
Benefits to disabled persons as a group
This section concludes with some comments from a business trainer in NUDIPU who has had over five yearsÕ experience in implementing IYB training and follow-up. He says that IYB has also had several other benefits for the NUDIPU administration, and that these have trickled down to disabled persons affiliated to the organization. Such benefits include better selection of credit applicants, empowerment of disabled persons and donor support.
Better selection of credit applicants: Prior to IYB training, the selection of applicants for credit was carried out systematically, but it still encountered many ÔpoliticalÕ hazards as a lot of time was needed (and the time was not always available) to explain why one applicant was successful and another not. Within IYB this became easier, as applicants were requested to articulate their business plans using IYB techniques. In the process, many withdrew their application after realizing that their enterprise was not profitable. Others made radical changes in their business, ensuring that they would make a profit and therefore enhancing their chance of obtaining credit. The result of this was to reduce the case load of the credit management team while maintaining turnover. At the same time the new system ensured that many of the applicants were able to obtain and manage a loan.
Empowerment and overcoming dependence: This effect, which has already been mentioned briefly, is the result of some disabled persons demonstrating their independence by running a profitable small business that enables them to meet their basic needs in spite of their disability. These individuals have served as examples to other disabled people, who have been encouraged to take charge of their lives despite their disabilities. But more important still, the successful small businesses have served as eye-openers for members of the general public, and shown them that disabled people are capable of almost as much as, and in some cases more than, able-bodied people. IYB therefore has turned out to be a tool in the struggle to empower disabled persons. It has also created an interface between people with disabilities and the able-bodied.
Donor support: Donor support for credit schemes often depends on the turnover and repayment rate. Both of these were facilitated by IYB. The result was greater donor confidence in the credit scheme and a subsequent expansion of the revolving fund.
Action on Disability and Development (ADD)
ADD is the only other organization working in the field of disability that has implemented IYB in Uganda. ADD is a development agency which promotes and encourages self-help programmes in partnership with disabled persons. ADD Uganda started in a small way in 1987 as a funding agency for groups of people with disabilities in Kampala and Mbarara. Today ADD works with groups of disabled persons all over the country. Since 1994 ADD trainers have organized and run five seminars for the training of entrepreneurs. Details are given below.
Table 2: Seminars conducted by ADD for the training of entrepreneurs
| Participants |
| Count | Date | Activity | Venue | Males | Females | Total |
| 1 | 17 - 21.07.95 | TOE | Kampala | 19 | 5 | 24 |
| 2 | 07 - 11.08.95 | TOE | Kampala | 22 | 3 | 25 |
| 3 | 03 - 07.09.95 | TOE | Luwero | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| 4 | 9.95 | TOE | Mbale | 18 | 4 | 22 |
| 5 | 10.95 | TOE | Gulu | 15 | 8 | 23 |
| 109 |
Clearly, only a limited number of people had access to IYB through ADD. However, they too added impact as ADD has great potential for a heightened delivery of IYB to people with disabilities. ADD also runs a credit facility which complements IYB training very well.
There is no significant difference between the ADD target group and the NUDIPU target group. Indeed, NUDIPU trainers co-trained with ADD training for entrepreneurs.
Financing IYB activities for disabled persons
IYB activities have been supported at different times by different donors. They include the ILO through the regional project office in Harare, the Canada Fund which financed the Uganda programme from 1993 to 1994, and the Austrian Government which funded the programme from 1994 to December 1996.
The arrangements for supporting activities have varied. At first training for entrepreneurs was fully funded by donors. Later, funding arrangements changed so that recipients and collaborating organizations assumed an increasing part of the budget for these activities. While the Government of Austria was financing activities, donor support for entrepreneur training was initially shared in the ratio of 1:4 (1 for recipient and 4 for donor). NUDIPU and ADD were party to this arrangement. The ratio later changed to 2:3. The Federation of Uganda Employers acted as focal point and administered the donor funds.
NUDIPU, the most active organization of people with disabilities in the IYB programme, received the biggest percentage of funding for the programme from the focal point, FUE. Given the special needs of disabled persons, the budgets quite often required topping up, which called for NUDIPU to raise funds elsewhere.
The Norwegian Association of the Disabled (NAD), one of the partners of NUDIPU, is the major co-funder of the programme. It currently tops up all budgets, meets the coordinatorÕs expenses and pays him a monthly salary. Top up for IYB activities has ranged from US$ 380 to US$ 800 for a single activity such as a seminar for training entrepreneurs. NAD fully funded the IYB training of trainers organized by NUDIPU in 1995. Oxfam contributes to the revolving loan fund which NAD initiated, together with other agencies such as the Catholic Fund for Development, the Danish Council for Disabled Persons and the Danish International Development Agency. Disabled persons themselves contribute to administrative expenses on a cost-sharing basis during the training of entrepreneur seminars. The IYB programme is now almost fully institutionalized in NUDIPU. NAD is financing one of the programmes, probably the one which is most result-oriented.
The IYB programmes run by ADD are partly financed by various donors. ADD receives support from ADD UK, Oxfam and Action Aid among others. None of these donors gives specifically for IYB. Support for IYB comes from a pool for training within ADD.
However, IYB financing in general has not been without its shortcomings. Some of these are outlined below.
1) The problem of paying for the IYB basics creates difficulties. The business culture in Uganda is not based on training but on experience gained through trial and error. In addition, many disabled persons cannot read English. Quite often they cannot read the local language. This is a barrier to using the IYB materials.
2) The materials are not always useful or relevant to disabled persons in Uganda, especially the visually impaired. A Braille printing press has, however, been installed at the Uganda National Institute of Special Education. The plan is therefore to seek ILO permission to transcribe and print IYB materials in Braille using this facility.
3) The IYB/SYB (Improve Your Business/Start Your Business) package causes change when internalized and used. But given the points mentioned above, disabled persons are hardly able to internalize and use the materials effectively.
As mentioned earlier, the story of IYB in Uganda and the benefits to disabled persons cannot be told without mentioning NUDIPU. The story of NUDIPU would also be incomplete without an account of IYB. NUDIPU has played a number of very significant roles in the IYB programme in Uganda as it affects people with disabilities. These roles are described below.
NUDIPU has provided the basic channel for IYB training to people with disabilities all over Uganda. In the absence of NUDIPU, this would have been very difficult, especially with regard to reaching disabled persons upcountry.
Because NUDIPU trainers were among the first to be trained, they have worked on adapting the materials. They have given feedback which has been informed by their unique perspective as people with disabilities. The participation in the IYB programme of NUDIPU trainers has been characterized by total absorption in the package, probably because it offered the first real opportunity for the economic empowerment of people with disabilities. NUDIPUÕs participation in the IYB programme has therefore been wholehearted.
While NUDIPU acted as a channel for the IYB programme, it also played another major role by subsidizing entrepreneurship training so that residential seminars could be held. These are more convenient for people with disabilities, due to their mobility limitations.
IYB has been fully integrated in NUDIPU programmes and a full-time training coordinator was employed in May 1992. The implication is that NUDIPU has provided a framework for the continued access of disabled persons to the IYB package.
IYB has strengthened management of the NUDIPU revolving loan programme in that improving entrepreneurial skills through IYB training is an added advantage for obtaining a loan. This means that IYB is sure of continuity and support from NUDIPU in the foreseeable future. This too guarantees that more disabled persons will have access to training. In addition, it is worth noting that IYB acts as a tool to enhance the performance of the revolving loan programme in NUDIPU. IYB training is in great demand among NUDIPU members as they see it as a stepping stone towards financial independence.
Challenges in delivering the IYB package to people with disabilities
Implementing IYB for the benefit of people with disabilities has certainly had its problems. Some of the difficulties have to do with the nature of the package while others have to do with the nature of the target group and the mechanism for delivering the package.
Problems related to the package mostly arise out of the materials themselves, i.e. the language of the materials, the price of the materials and the amount of work involved in preparing for seminars and following them up. While the materials are vital both during the training and afterwards, some disabled entrepreneurs could not afford to buy them even at a subsidized price. This put the burden of purchasing the materials on the collaborating organization, NUDIPU in this case.
The fact that some members of the target group are unable to buy the materials is discussed elsewhere in the report. Suffice it to say here that it became quite a problem as time went by.
Problems relating to the target group are discussed in the section below on specific needs. However, we need to mention here that adaptations were necessary in almost every aspect of the training in order to accommodate individuals with one disability or another. This is the reason that a budget for activities which would be sufficient for other organizations and target groups would not be sufficient for NUDIPU activities. For instance, seminars had to be residential to make attendance a little easier for those with mobility difficulties; this added to the costs.
Another problem is the struggle to balance the needs of the target group of the implementing organization with the need to meet the minimum requirements of the IYB package. This was a continuing challenge in the case of NUDIPU especially. On the one hand a number of entrepreneurs already in business wanted to be trained and NUDIPU felt that they should be trained. On the other hand it was clear that many of them did not meet the minimum requirements for IYB training. Individual judgement often prevailed. Thus some entrepreneurs were trained but could not draw maximum benefit from the package because they were not able to read English.
In relation to the system of delivery and evaluation, a number of issues also arose. For instance, what were to be the indicators of success or failure of the IYB programme - number of seminars conducted, number of trainers trained, turnover, employment?
Specific needs of disabled persons in relation to IYB
Visually-impaired entrepreneurs
One may wonder how visually-impaired entrepreneurs can run a business. Experience has shown that they are very good entrepreneurs, determined, profit-oriented and with a keen sense of avoiding risky ventures that lead to losses. They are involved in businesses which range from retailing to manufacturing and providing services.
The major difficulty is that they have to employ someone to read the training materials for them, especially the IYB basics. ÒIf these books were transcribed into Braille, I would be a millionaire by the year 2000O, commented an entrepreneur running a water transport business. Efforts to have the books transcribed into Braille by ILO have proved fruitless so far.
Hearing-impaired entrepreneurs
Hearing-impaired entrepreneurs are another group of determined and result-oriented people with disabilities. They are probably the best participants in terms of implementing the skills acquired. David Mulya, a master trainer, organized and conducted the first training-of-entrepreneurs seminar for the hearing-impaired in August 1993. It was the first seminar fully funded by NUDIPU and perhaps the first of its kind in eastern and southern Africa. During this seminar it became clear that the chief difficulty in training the hearing-impaired is communication. It is difficult to carry out effective needs assessment and the training has to be done through a sign-language interpreter. This calls for a relatively long period to be devoted to any IYB activity.
To address this problem, during the first training-of-trainers seminar the master trainer identified Pascal Mutabazi, who is himself hearing-impaired, as an IYB trainer and probably the first in the region. This made training easier for others with hearing impairments. Pascal is also an SYB trainer. This group is now given more attention and the hearing-impaired can obtain loans from NGOs and other funding agencies. They are doing quite well. One entrepreneur with a hearing impairment made a very good sideboard for David in appreciation of the training received.
However, some hearing-impaired people cannot read or write, in addition to their oral communication difficulties. This creates another complication, especially during follow-ups. An interpreter is needed to read the IYB basics and communicate the material to the trainee, and then to pass on the traineeÕs response to the trainer.
Persons with physical disabilities
This is the third major category of people with disabilities who benefited from the IYB/SYB programme in Uganda. Unlike the other two, the major problem for the physically handicapped was access to the premises where the seminars were conducted. Right from the first train-the-trainer seminars organized by ILO itself, through to seminars for entrepreneurs and follow-up courses, almost no consideration was given to the question of physical access.
Although physically disabled trainees participated fully in the seminars, they found it very difficult to move between the classroom, the dining-room and the recreation area. The Hotel Diplomat, the Lweza Training and Conference Centre, the Fairway Hotel, Colline Hotel, and Botanical Beach Hotel at Entebbe, to mention only a few, had unsuitable environments in terms of physical access. There were many steps and stairs, floors were slippery and uncarpeted, and the dining-room was self-service. However, the entrepreneurs were helped to gain maximum benefit from the courses as the trainers were disabled persons themselves. Some of the training venues, especially upcountry, could offer no alternatives. Classes had to be given in the only hall in the area (with steps) or under a tree. As mentioned earlier, notable improvements have to be considered for future training. The determination of these entrepreneurs is reflected in the impact created on their businesses by the skills gained.
Entrepreneurs to note include Maclean Kirabo-Mbarara, who managed to buy two more sewing machines after her training; she started a retail shop from the increased profits and she also started training other people in tailoring.
NUDIPU has 26 IYB trainers of whom two are master trainers. These two are full-time employees of the NUDIPU secretariat. One of them is a training coordinator. NUDIPU is probably the first organization to employ full-time staff to handle IYB among other things. However, only nine of the 26 trainers are active. It is important to note that all the trainers were not trained at the same time. As mentioned earlier, three were pioneers and only one is still active, while seven were trained later, and only three of these are active. One trainer was selected for the training-of-trainers seminar funded by the Agency for Development and Cooperation, Austria and 14 trainers attended the first NUDIPU training given by David Mulya, probably the first of its kind in the country. Finally, one trainer attended SYB training during the second phase in September 1996.
Some comments from beneficiaries
Disabled entrepreneurs who received IYB training made several comments on how the methodology could be improved. On making IYB more accessible and useful in future they suggest the following:
(a) The price of the training materials (IYB basics) should be made more reasonable. Disabled trainees have smaller financial resources than other beneficiaries. ÒFifteen thousand shillings for IYB materials could go a long way in my businessO, said one of the entrepreneurs interviewed. Although their businesses are very small, disabled entrepreneurs said the IYB skills do work when applied.
(b) The language barrier is another major limitation due to high levels of illiteracy. Apart from classroom work during training, over 40 per cent of the participants interviewed have never read the IYB basics. ÒReading the English in the books is relatively hard and it takes time. Yet our businesses demand all our timeO, said one of the entrepreneurs, echoing the answers of a number of others. For some entrepreneurs the English is too difficult, while others cannot read English at all. Getting someone to read aloud to them would mean paying for the service. ÒThis is a costO, they commented. Of course, this reflects directly on the selection methods used by the trainers and demonstrates one of the major struggles of IYB trainers in organizations such as NUDIPU. However, a good number of entrepreneurs showed that they use the skills acquired in the training sessions. Many of them showed how they display their signs, keep their records and control their stock. These skills were gained in the course of training for entrepreneurs. Such limitations have caused others not to be selected for IYB training although they have viable businesses. The mere fact that they cannot read or write means that they are left out. ÒThat programme is for the literateO, one disabled woman commented.
(c) Cost sharing is a new culture and in the context of disabled peopleÕs struggle for equality, little has been achieved so far. ÒWe are recognized but the ground is not yet level; the chances for participation are not equal yetO. Contributing towards IYB training comes too early, while disabled people are struggling to create jobs instead of seeking for them. Quite a number of entrepreneurs are left out of the programme because they are unable to share the costs.
(d) Costing and record keeping require more than elementary arithmetic. The work that can be done during a seminar lasting from three to five days is only really an introduction, needing immediate and systematic follow-up. However, the trainees are not followed up at present, owing to financial constraints on the programme. Business culture in Uganda has not been dependent on education or training of this kind. It has been more by a question of intuition. The ability to keep and use records is very low; this applies to corporate planning as well. IYB materials should therefore be made more elementary to fit the nature of the businesses run by people with disabilities. Such people start an enterprise with very tiny savings and the types of business that can be launched in this way are very small. Disabled entrepreneurs expressed concern that not many financial institutions are willing to give them credit (loans) to invest as they look as if they are asking for charity. In fact, their businesses are really below the micro line. Just imagine training such an entrepreneur about Òre-order levelsO.
The selection of disabled persons for IYB training was based on a number of criteria, including disability, gender, regional balance and business ownership. Selection was mainly carried out by NUDIPU, and the IYB programme consulted NUDIPU quite often while trainers were being trained.
The awareness about disability which was created by NUDIPU caused the focal point to ensure that people with disabilities are always included in IYB activities. Disabled persons participated in forming the IYB national committee, evaluating the IYB programme and proof-reading the IYB basics. NUDIPU is among the most active collaborating organizations in the Uganda IYB programme due to the opportunity given to NUDIPU trainers to participate. Through them many entrepreneurs with disabilities have been trained.
In this paper institutionalization is defined as the process by which the IYB training programme, package and activities become part of the collaborating organizationÕs training repertoire. It includes receiving financial support from the organizationÕs budget.
Certain characteristics appear to be related to the successful institutionalization of IYB. These include the utility of the programme, motivation and support on the part of the implementing organization and trainers, complementarity of IYB with the objectives of the organization and availability of financing for IYB activities. A brief analysis of the institutionalization of IYB in NUDIPU is presented below.
Any organization attempting to institutionalize IYB in its regular activities must be convinced of the value of the package to the target group of the organization. There appears to be no doubt that NUDIPU is convinced of the utility of the programme to its constituents, namely, the individuals and groups that make up NUDIPU membership.
Motivation and support refer to the desire of the trainers and technocrats in NUDIPU to continue using and selling the package in the absence of external pressure. Such motivation arises partly from the perceived utility of the programme but also from the results which have been achieved. Our assessment indicates that in this area too, NUDIPU is well primed for institutionalization. NUDIPU currently has the largest team of trainers, who are the most active group among IYB trainers in Uganda, as evidenced by the number of seminars conducted for entrepreneurs.
In addition to their disabilities NUDIPU trainers often operate under difficult circumstances from upcountry stations. Yet they manage to organize and run seminars and arrange follow-up activities. This level of motivation can be attributed to the unique mission of the trainers who themselves are people with disabilities. They are strongly committed to empowering others with a similar disadvantage.
Complementarity with other objectives of the organization
No organization is going to make an effort to institutionalize IYB unless the package corresponds with the objectives of the organization. Apart from complementing those objectives, IYB must not be seen as a duplicate or an inferior version of training packages already existing in the organization.
In the case of NUDIPU, IYB is held in high esteem and fits in well with the organizational objectives. Indeed, NUDIPU has contributed significantly to the evolution of the package, to the point that NUDIPU ÔownsÕ the final product. Here, too, indications are in the direction of smooth institutionalization.
Financing refers to the availability of funds, either from within the organization or from donors. As already indicated, IYB has been financed with donor funds from the Norwegian Association of the Disabled, and there is potential for other NUDIPU financers to take up the cue. Moreover the wide geographical spread of IYB trainers makes for relatively cheap delivery of IYB training. In this area too, therefore, NUDIPU is well prepared for institutionalization.
In summary, the conditions for institutionalization are positive in NUDIPU. We will now look at the present degree of institutionalization.
Institutionalization of IYB in NUDIPU
Several indicators can be used to measure the extent to which IYB is institutionalized in NUDIPU. The main indicator is NUDIPU financing of IYB activities.
It has already been mentioned that right from the beginning NUDIPU had to top up IYB support from the Federation of Uganda Employers in order to meet the extra costs implied by the special characteristics of the target group. This contribution has not been quantified but was significant.
Later on NUDIPU, with assistance from other organizations, began to provide full funding of IYB seminars for training entrepreneurs. In 1996 at least two entrepreneurship seminars conducted by NUDIPU trainers were fully funded by NUDIPU and other supporters. Other aspects of this financing have already been mentioned, notably the support of a full-time staff member whose major responsibility is IYB.
Institutionalization of IYB in Action on Disability and Development
While there is great potential for institutionalizing IYB in Action on Disability and Development, IYB has been treated as a relatively minor part of the organizationÕs training repertoire and there is little interest in committing resources to a sustainable IYB programme. Thus ADD lags behind in terms of institutionalizing IYB.
IYB training materials for both trainers and entrepreneurs should be made readily available to participants at all levels. Many entrepreneurs only have photocopies of the work/handbooks. These were obtained at a time when the books were out of stock and the IYB basics were not yet published. Some trainers, too, do not have all the books. Efforts should therefore be made to supply the IYB basics to all entrepreneurs during the follow-up exercises.
ILO should continue producing materials and other support to encourage IYB training, which is now part of NUDIPU programmes.
The training materials should be modified to fit all types of disability, especially visual impairment. At present NUDIPU cannot train an IYB/SYB visually-impaired trainer due to lack of suitable material.
There is a need for master trainers to give refresher courses for all trainers who are now overdue for retraining and for others whose skills are outdated. The master trainers should receive ILO support to enable them to carry out this exercise.
The master trainers are also in need of refresher training, to update their skills and renew their motivation.
While NUDIPU has done an excellent job of representing associations of disabled persons, there is a need to ensure that smaller groups also have good access to IYB. This has to be done through ensuring that each of them has at least one trainer available to conduct IYB training.
The fact that some disabled persons have unique disabilities means that financing of IYB activities ought to have been flexible right from the beginning. NUDIPU and ADD compensated for the extra costs involved in providing training for this target group by topping up the budgets. However, access would have been increased if budgets from the focal point had been flexible.
The affiliation and active participation of NUDIPU and ADD involves certain costs and expenses. While these are not high, they may be enough to eliminate some of the smaller groups. To enhance disabled personsÕ access to IYB, therefore, it may be necessary to reach out to some of the small and isolated groups so as to offer them the opportunity of IYB training.
The IYB programme in Uganda needs a stronger concept of professionalism among the trainers. Many of the IYB trainers take their work lightly and are involved in other activities, a practice which makes them perfunctory in their IYB training. Many just use the concept of IYB to pass on relevant/appropriate knowledge and skills, which influence the behaviour of the entrepreneur. This situation requires attention.
The programme could become even stronger if this concept were developed into a curriculum, with a course to develop professional IYB trainers. This would enable the trainers to give courses at any level, addressing all types of need.
Trainers in NUDIPU have expressed high hopes of the potential for this study to disseminate NUDIPU experience to others facing similar challenges in the region. Clearly, trainers in NUDIPU feel that they have unique experience in implementing IYB, which should be passed on to similar organizations.
In conclusion, the IYB programme has generally been successful in targeting people with disabilities. IYB itself specifies a certain target group (i.e. able to read and write in the language of training). Within these limits the NUDIPU framework was able to deliver IYB training to a large spectrum of people with disabilities. The framework ensured wide geographical distribution as well as occupational range.
Thus, to the question of whether people with disabilities had fair access to IYB given their unique conditions, the answer is that they had the best possible chance in the circumstances. As to the value of the programme, there is no doubt from the entrepreneursÕ reports that they have benefited from the package.
Many of the limitations of the package had to do with the materials themselves in the context of the special characteristics of disabled persons as a target group. There is room for improvement here in future programme planning.
Annex
Study on the involvement of entrepreneurs with disabilities in the IYB Uganda programme
INTERVIEW GUIDE
Name of Respondent
Location
Code Number (01 - 20)
Date of Interview
Interviewer
1) Describe the type of business you operate
2) How many years have you been in the business ?
3) How did you come in contact with IYB ?
4) What IYB training have you received ?
5) Who did the training ? (trainer and sponsoring organisation)
6) Has the IYB training been useful to you ?
7) If it has been, what have been the benefits ?
8) In what other way could the training and follow up have been done better ?
9) How useful have the IYB basics booklets been to you ?
10 ) Have you read them since you were trained? If yes, how many times?
11) How could the basics have been made more useful ?
12) How easy was it for you to get the IYB training?
13) What special arrangements were made for you to access IYB training ?
14) Is there any way it could have been made easier for you to access IYB training ?
15) What other comments on the IYB programme would you like to make?
Thank you very much!