Grace Bantebya KyomuhendoAmon Mwiine

Makerere University .Uganda

Poverty is Not an Identity : Voices and Experiences from

Rural Uganda

Presentation outlineUganda poverty contextPoverty manifestations Experiences of poverty Shaming and labellingStrategies/ coping with poverty

and shameConclusion

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.

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

Forms and Manifestations of PovertyHousehold wellbeing and survival ..housing, food

Schooling of children..problematic

Limited Material Possessions..clothing

Lack of Land .. Poor sanitation and health

Monitor publications 2012

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)

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.

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.’’

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

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

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?”

 

ConclusionPeople 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

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