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Poverty is Not an Identity : Voices and Experiences from Rural Uganda

Poverty is Not an Identity : Voices and Experiences from Rural Uganda. Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo Amon Mwiine Makerere University .Uganda. Presentation outline. Uganda poverty context Poverty manifestations Experiences of poverty Shaming and labelling

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Poverty is Not an Identity : Voices and Experiences from Rural Uganda

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  1. Poverty is Not an Identity : Voices and Experiences from Rural Uganda Grace BantebyaKyomuhendo AmonMwiine Makerere University .Uganda

  2. Presentation outline • Uganda poverty context • Poverty manifestations • Experiences of poverty • Shaming and labelling • Strategies/ coping with poverty and shame • Conclusion

  3. Uganda Country Context • Uganda populations of 30.7 million of which half is aged below 15 years. • Females (51%) --- males (49%). • 85% of the households reside in rural • 24.5 % of Ugandans are estimated to be poor, corresponding to nearly 7.5 million. • The incidence of poverty remains higher in rural areas than in urban areas.

  4. Poverty Alleviation programmes • 1997-Universal Primary Education (UPE) • 2007 Free Secondary Education • Modernising Agriculture: NAADS • SACCO/FINCA.. Financial access to people living in poverty

  5. Forms and Manifestations of Poverty • Household wellbeing and survival ..housing, food • Schooling of children..problematic • Limited Material Possessions..clothing • Lack of Land .. • Poor sanitation and health • Monitor publications 2012

  6. Experiences of Poverty • what do you see here? My situation is hopeless; I gave up long time ago. There is nothing to be proud of or ashamed about (IGA). • My land is all I have but my neighbours want to grab it. I reported one such neighbour to the Local Council 1 chairman but he did not do anything to him. The LC chairman overlooked me because I am poor. (Kamya (A1)

  7. Experiences of Poverty • an immediate neighbour who is better off and has greater voice in the community took the piglets meant for me. If I was not poor, this would not have happened. When I complained, they just laughed at me, saying that after all I have no means to raise the piglets. I felt humiliated and worthless and inferior.

  8. Children's Experiences of Poverty • “Unlike my friends I do not pay school dues on time and get dismissed I miss lessons and they continue attending. I am always worried about my performance. I am a day student, my friends are in boarding. I walk a long distance to school and often arrive late. This embarrasses me. I am always worried and demoralised and teachers tend to ignore me. My friends look contented and teachers pay them more attention. Overall I find school life hard and stressful.’’

  9. Perceptions and labelling the poor • “If you are poor, you are as well as lazy, illiterate, a thief and an object of scorn.” (obwo nakuhara, buli omu akurora kubi nko mugera, atasomere, omusuma rundi ekitagasa.) irene • “It is painful to be identified as poor. We are all human beings. Nobody was created to be poor.” (itwena tuli bantu. Busaho aya hangirwe ali munaku.) kasaija

  10. Poverty Shaming … • I borrowed some money from FINCA to start a business. I thought I would pay back. Before the business took off, all the money was finished, spent on family needs. When I failed to service the loan, I was treated so badly, I think this is because I am so poor. I sold off all I had and repaid the loan...and immediately withdrew from FINCA and will never approach such organisations again. Ruth

  11. Coping Strategies: Keeping Up Appearances • “I keep quiet with all my problems in my heart. Yes, the heart is like a suitcase, it keeps all problems . For instance now you [interviewer] is the only outsider who knows that my house is bare of basics including a chair, table, and even bed.” • Efurazia says that whenever in public, “I always dress up in my best attire, walk tall with a confident expression on my face, all my shame locked up somewhere in my suitcase. What does it pay to advertise ones misery?”

  12. Conclusion • People living in poverty , especially from rural areas experience multiple dimensions of poverty….. incomes, assets, materials; poverty of skills and capabilities and poverty in terms of powerlessness – feeling of being unable to change their situations • Poverty among school going children is experienced in terms of lack of materials such as school uniform, shoes, books, and other scholastic materials …..School arena for shaming

  13. Conclusion • Poverty leads to shame forcing poor people to withdraw from community participation, social gatherings and open interaction with other community members as a coping mechanism. • Majority poor who are ashamed end up withdrawing from poverty alleviation programmes targeting them. This has the potential to further their exclusion

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