Development Network of Indigenous Voluntary Associations (DENIVA)

DENIVA membership comprises representatives from NGOs and CBOs in Uganda; international organisations are eligible for associate membership. ICTs are central to this network from a strategic standpoint. Motivated to take advantage of the information exchange opportunities offered by DENIVA, member organisations have taught themselves to use modern technology, where available, to speed their work and increase its scope. All members are expected to contribute to the running of the DENIVA website website (and other communication services such as ISP, telephone, and computer maintenance). DENIVA supports the creation of networks of CSOs by, for example, providing them with access to the Internet.

Using these technologies, DENIVA undertakes activities focussing on strengthening the capacity of members to manage information; improving access to information on poverty and other development issues; improving research into development information; strengthening resource centres; localising advocacy issues of a global nature; campaigning for pro-people policies; and increasing dialogue with other development stakeholders.

Specifically, the activities of the organisation fall into the following programme areas:

• Networking and information sharing - DENIVA works to facilitate a process whereby member organisations can identify and fulfill their own information needs, in part through training and exploring the possibility of regional resource centres. In addition, DENIVA uses email to foster contacts with donors and to link them to member organisations. DENIVA's mailing list totals 800 (550 members and 250 external organisations). Members in remote areas can access faxes through post offices. The programme also makes use of national radio and mobile phone communication. Another focus here is on influencing public policy through setting up shared linkages for policy analysis and advocacy.
• Self-understanding and capacity building - use of research, monitoring, and production of guidelines in an effort to challenge NGOs to develop their own values at organisational, association, and network levels and to strengthen their capacities to participate in collective action. For instance, staff have received training regarding the DENIVA website, which contains a variety of NGO-related information (see the "Information Exchange" section, for example). DENIVA has also developed booklets on resource centre management and can carry out trainings on computer basics and information management. Linkages between members themselves can be an effective means of capacity building (e.g., swapping librarians). Many of these activities focus on training member organisations in gender sensitivity planning.
• Policy research and advocacy (PRAP): in order to improve coherence, sophistication, intensity, and consistency in the advocacy work of member organisations, DENIVA provides a central platform for debate and reflection on development issues. For example, they have conducted research into the role of women councillors. Such research may be found in DENIVA's publications, some of which are available by clicking here. These publications include newsletters (on topics such as NGOs and Politics, NGOs and Information Management, NGOs and the Fight Against Corruption, NGOs and Health, and NGOS and the Poverty Question), information bulletins, and occasional papers.

In addition, DENIVA has entered into a partnership with the Ford Foundation that is designed to strengthen local governance through civil society organisations. The project will work to enhance the understanding and capacity of CSOs in four selected districts (Katakwi district in Eastern Uganda, Ntungamo District in Western Uganda, Rakai District in Central Uganda, and Gulu District in Northern Uganda). A key focus will be the building of relationships between CSOs and local government leaders, as well as the communication of these experiences for the purposes of education, advocacy, and lobbying on the part of other organisations pursuing similar work. Activities will include planning meetings, appraisal of CSO status, workshops to analyse decentralisation policies, public dialogues on good governance, training sessions for CSOs, media involvement, exchange visits, and research.

Technology, Networking, Economic Development, Local Governance.

The ability of DENIVA to take advantage of electronic communication with members is constrained by the lack of ICT facilities and user capacity in most of themember organisations. Although DENIVA has several offices with personal computers (PCs), only 1 PC is connected to email. Of their membership, only around half have email addresses; some of these may be accessing email via cyber cafes. Some members are now beginning to create web sites, but the cost is prohibitive for most.

According to organisers, ongoing government efforts aimed at improving communications infrastructure in remote rural areas will improve the ability of member organisations to benefit from DENIVA's efforts.