Prisoners Support Organization- Uganda

1
Prisoners Support Organisation Bicycle
Rehabilitation ProjectPresentation to US
PartnersBikes for the World
Working Bikes CooperativeIrene
NadungaExecutive Director
2
Prisoners Support Organisation (PSO)1

• PSO is a non profit organization founded in 2005
  (formerly Women Prisoners Support Organization)
• Our mission is to support individuals who have
  been affected by crime and their families Our
  Goal is social change
• PSO works to help prisoners and ex-prisoners to
  become positive contributing members within their
  communities

3
Prisoners Support Organisation (PSO)2

• We follow a holistic one-stop model of service
  provision that includes
• Education
• Health services
• Re-entry/transition services
• Economic empowerment
• Spiritual healing
• Family services
• PSO also ensures that human rights of inmates are
  protected
• Approximately 1500 men and women are served
  annually

4
PSO Organisational Structure

• A Board of Directors determines project
  objectives and ensures that proper financial
  controls are in place
• The Advisory Committee constitutes of 19
  ex-inmates
• The Secretariat has 4 full time 3 part time
  staff
• A Team of between 20 and 30 dedicated and
  energetic volunteers and law students

5
Past Programs

• Peer Tutors Prisoners Scheme
• Justice in Uganda documentary
• Prison Malaria Initiative
• HIV/AIDS Education project
• Juvenile Justice Program

6
On- going Programs1

• Bicycle Rehabilitation Project PSO is receiving
  bicycles sewing machines from BFW WB
• Prisoners Arts Project is a pilot project aimed
  at educating prison staff prisoners to stop
  torture or any other form of inhuman treatment
  prevalent in almost all prisons in Uganda by
  using performance theatre as a communication tool
  in promoting human rights
• 30

7
On- going Programs2

• Prisoners Mobile Clinic PSO is pioneering a
  prisoners mobile health service by equiping a van
  with medical supplies and an exam room to
  diagnose and treat patients

8
PSOs Partners

• Irish Aid Uganda
• Uganda Prisons Service
• Uganda Aids Commission
• Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund
• Bikes for the World
• Working Bikes Cooperative, Chicago

9
Partnership with Bikes for the World

• In July 2007 BFW and PSO signed a Memorandum of
  Understanding
• Under the MoU
• BfW would deliver to PSO used bicycles and
  spare-parts
• PSO would recondition the bicycles and distribute
  them to disadvantaged groups in Uganda

10
Partnership with Bikes for the World

• Major aim of the Project To facilitate
  ex-prisoners with the means to engage in
  economically productive activities
• Other aims include
• Enhance bicycle distribution to the most
  vulnerable/needy population to improve their
  income levels and standard of living

11
Partnership with Bikes for the World

• Other aims include
• Partner with exisiting NGOS and government based
  organizations in the distribution of bicycles
• Train the target group in bicycle maintenance and
  repair
• Improve transport for both rural and peri-urban
  populations in Uganda

12
Partnership with Bikes for the World

• Since the signing of the MoU with BFW, PSO has
  received 7 shipments of bicycles, bicycle parts
  and tools and a few sewing machines from BFW and
  2 shipments from the Working Bikes Cooperative in
  Chicago totalling to 9 shipments

13
Deliveries from Bikes for the World
14
Deliveries from Working Bike Coop
15
Distribution of Bicycles from BFW
16
Distribution of Bicycles from WB Cp
17
Bikes Sold and Bikes Donated
18
Breakdown of the Buyers (88)
19
Use of Money from the Sales1

• Transport from the Baltimore Port (USA) to
  Mombasa Port (East African coast) between US
  4200 to 5000. Includes
• Ocean freight
• B/L doc fee
• Security fee
• Courier Services
• Inland freight
• Fuel surcharge
• Fowarding

20
Use of Money from the Sales2

• Inland transport costs i.e. transporting a
  shipment from Mombasa into Uganda (Between US
  3800 to 4200 per 40ft shipment). Includes
• Portal fees
• Container handling
• Administrative fees
• Crainage services
• Bond duration fees
• Cross boarder fees
• Courier services

21
Use of Money from the Sales3

• Transport container from Shipers warehouse to
  final destination (75)
• Rent (250 per month)
• Security costs Uganda shillings US 100 per
  month
• Off-loading labour costs Uganda shillings 120,000
  or US 65

22
Use of Money from the Sales4

• Salaries for 2 mechanics each US 150 per
  month
• Salary for Bike center manager US 250 monthly
• Hire vehicle to transport bicycles to
  beneficiaries (Between US 150 and 400) depending
  on distance
• Other administrative expenses for running the
  program e.g. air-time, meals, etc.

23
Who has benefited from the Bikes?1

• The beneficiaries include
• Ex-prisoners
• Poor women e.g. Widows and peasant housewives
• Small holder farmers
• Low skilled men such as carpenters, plumbers,
  builders, night watchmen
• School going children
• These are very poor, normally the most affected
  by the socio-economic problems in the country
  such as
• Inadequate health systems
• Low quality universal primary education
• Low calories intake- one unbalanced meal a day

24
How have they benefited?

• The benefits include (in ranking order)
• Economic empowerment e.g. hawking, and
  transporting farm produce to the markets
• Building social capital -a valuable asset to the
  beneficiary households neighbours and other
  community members also borrow the bikes
• Transition /re-entry into the community- bicycle
  is a start-up incentive to the just released
  prisoners to start a new productive life
• Ease personal movements for household members-
  e.g. transport to health centres, to attend
  school

25
Testimonies from the Beneficiaries1

• Economic empowerment
• for ex-prisoners
• Mama Alex (Alexs mother) faced many
  uncertainties upon her release from prison.
• On returning home, she found her husband had
  abandoned her and her four sons, and re-married.
  
• She had no previous work experience and lacked
  marketable skills.
• Mama Alex now uses the scwhin bike from BFW to
  supply bottled mineral water to small shops and
  mini supermarkets.

26
Testimonies from the Beneficiaries2

• Economic empowerment
• for ex-prisoners
• Aisha Nakibuka purchased this blue bicycle at 30
  to expand her small honey and candles business.
• Since she bought this bicycle, her income has
  increased from Shs. 250,000 to Shs. 380,000 .
• The bicycle also helps her attend meetings
  between groups and visits to meetings of other
  bee keeping societies to encourage the exchange
  of ideas and to spread the word about womens new
  roles in bee keeping.

27
Testimonies from the Beneficiaries3
Muwonge Jalia is a widow with 5 children. She
is a member of the Nakyesa Widows and AIDS
patients farmers group in Kayunga district and
was identified as a beneficiary by the local
authorities.

• A case of building social capital most of the
  persons above belong to
• the same farmers group as Jalia and they all
  borrow her bicycle for
• travel to markets, health centres and for
  personal business

28
Testimonies from the Beneficiaries4

• Recreation/
• Physical
• fitness
• Parents of Hormisddallen Primary School usually
  purchase kids bikes for sports events from the
  PSO Bike center

29
Testimonies from the Beneficiaries5

• Ease personal
• movements
• Kiwanuka Wilson aged about 78 years, grows
  bananas and coffee.
• He belongs to the Nanywenge Farmers Group
  comprising of 25 farmers.
• He uses the bike to tranport coffee seedlings and
  bananas to the market.

30
Bike Donations 1

• 5 organisations have so far benefited from
• bike donations
• National Organization for Women living with
  HIV/AIDS (NACWOLA)
• Ride for a Woman (Bundibugyo, district)
• Mbarara Farmers Association (MFA)
• National Agriculture Advisory Services, Kayunga
  district and Mukono district
• Youth Against Crime Uganda

31
Bike Donations 2

• Donations to
• NACWOLA
• PSO donated 7 bikes to NACWOLA Staff to support
  their Home Based Care Program for AIDS affected
  homes in rural districts.
• NACWOLA is National Organization for Women living
  with HIV/AIDS

32
Bike Repair Workshops1

• 2 workshops held so far
• Training conducted by center mechanics
• Trainings are interactive and participatory
• Overall aim is to train beneficiaries to know the
  small things of fixing their bikes at home to
  maintain their longeveity
• The main topics covered include general outline
  of bicycle function, tyre pressure, changing
  gears, fixing pedals, etc.

33
Challenges1

• Strong dollar against weak shilling
• Small savings as compared to PSO future plans
  such as establishing an Ex-prisoners Empowerment
  Center
• Irregular supply of bikes
• Lack of spares for bikes with big axles which
  makes them unpopular with the Ugandan community
• Lack of a vehicle to transport bikes to rural
  beneficiaries

34
Challenges2

• Small axle like this one above is preffered

• Big axle like this one above is not popular

35
Suggestions

• Increase the number of shipments
• PSO shifted to larger warehouse able to store
  more bikes- thus partners could include any
  surplus bikes during shipping
• Each shipment could include considerable amount
  of spare parts such size 26 27/28, and thin
  tyre road bikes
• BFW and WB could sponsor atleast one mechanic
  from PSO every year to attend training workshop

36
Future Plans

• Increase bike sales and bike rentals to earn
  enough revenue to build a rehabilitation center
  for ex-prisoners
• Foster partnerships with other community based
  organizations that promote the usage of bicycles
  in rural areas
• Purchase a pick-up truck that will transport
  donated bicycles to beneficiairies

37

• This is the end......
• thank you.
• www.psouganda.org
• Plot 110, Bukoto Street, Kamwokya
• P.O.BOX 26622, Kampala, Uganda
• Email info_at_psouganda.org