Partners in Learning idea catches on

When a group of people in Mitchelstown had the idea of forming a partnership with a community in Uganda to foster development they never thought that other Irish communities would follow suit.

In September 2006, community representatives from Mitchelstown, and the Ugandan village of Mbula signed a partnership agreement with the aim of sharing experiences and learning in community development. They called it Partners in Learning.

Speaking at that reception, Plan Ireland patron, John Hume, captured the essence of the initiative when he said:
 "At first glance, it would appear Mitchelstown and a rural village in Uganda would not have a lot in common. Yet both communities share a desire to build and improve their own environments, they share similar dreams for their children and similar dreams of making rural life viable in a modern and fast changing world."

Since then, with continuing assistance from Plan Ireland and Plan Uganda, the two communities have strengthened the remarkable bond that has developed between them. Their work to achieve the common goal of improved development strategies is bearing fruit.

With financial assistance from Mitchelstown Credit Union, Ballyhoura, Development, Mitchelstown’s St. Vincent de Paul Society, and with project management by Plan Ireland, the construction of a community hall in Mbula is now at an advanced stage.

The community hall, which will be a centre of learning and a place of contact for visitors, will also include a communication centre, kitchen, office, store, latrine and guesthouse area. It is also hoped to establish a credit union and to that end two young Ugandans, Anyaa Mackoola and Harriet Athieno, spent nine months living in Mitchelstown and learning how to operate a credit union.

They attended a course in Credit Union Studies in UCC and also received practical experience by working at Mitchelstown Credit Union. Their intention is to establish a credit union in Mbula as a means of kick-starting community and private enterprise there.

Following a recent meeting in the Irish Aid Centre in Dublin at which Partners in Learning committee members outlined their experiences to representatives of six other Irish communities, a visit to Uganda is being organised to explore possibilities for further co-operative programmes.