Our Approach
Revelation Life runs a comprehensive programme of training in community and children’s groups, impacting thousands of Kampala’s slum dwellers by partnering with local NGOs (including Water School and Caring Hands). Along with the Mugezi Construction Training Course, our groups learn and adopt new practices to improve their health and well-being including: container gardens; solar water purification; ‘tip tap’ hand-washers; water tanks; community health-care skills and fuel saving stoves.
The Need and Opportunity
Health issues are acute in Kampala’s slums. According to our 2014 research, only 14% of children’s meals contain two or more vegetable portions and 60% of children suffer from diarrhoea every two months. This is compounded by low incomes, with the average daily income at less than $1. Members of the Kasubi Community Group want to see this change and are reporting that a simple centre would give them the space and forum they need in the slum to meet and work together towards their dreams. In addition, there is a demand for an information library, storage of tools and a site for local builders to learn natural building techniques through Mugezi Training.
Dream Centre Description
The main function of the centre will be to host: group training, educational videos, savings groups, community wide event days and child development activities. In addition to hosting meetings, the design and fabric of the centre itself will act as an inspirational place to see natural building designs that encourage people to adopt improved, low-cost building practices in their own homes.
Our experience from constructing the first Dream Centre in Kinawataka Slum has shown us that these centres can be a real catalyst for development within the slums. As a meeting area and an inspirational space, the centre has attracted a great deal of interest from local residents and NGOs alike – helping us to maximise our work and reach larger numbers of people more efficiently.
Creative construction techniques utilised will include:
• Earthbag construction with clay and lime rendering.
• Repurposing a 20ft shipping container.
• Use of recycled plastics such as jerry cans and water bottles to offer shade.
• Improved large mudbrick walls.
• Solar bottle lighting inside the container.
Other appropriate technologies such as ferro-cement water tanks and food growing containers will show the possibilities of appropriate design and inspire people to improve the health and wealth of Kasubi Slum.
A Long-term Resource
The centre will be a multi-use community resource that is facilitated by community members and the Local Council wherever possible through a local committee of
‘Stewards’. In this way it will be used not only for our groups but also for other local meetings of change makers in the community (e.g. women’s groups and entrepreneurial gatherings), having an impact on a large number of people. In the medium term it will be run by the ‘Stewards’ who will use it as a hub for group meetings, community training, income generation and Mugezi building training.
Expected Outputs of the Centre in Year One:
• 2,000 people with new knowledge and skills to stay healthy.
• 6 Community Event Days, where participants learn new skills and make useful connections with each other and local churches.
• Significant changes in practice seen in 60 families through community group, nutrition group and child development sessions.
• 50 people reporting a significant reduction in social isolation.
The Kasubi Dream Centre will enable us to reach 2,000 people in Year One through Event Days and capacity building programmes.
