We believe there is little meaning in talking about growth and development if the quality of life for people on the ground does not improve. Cosmetic developments such as raising mansions and sky scrapers in urban centres while a great majority of the population live in poverty is by no means a good measure of development and well being.

We define poverty as the inability to meet basic needs. These include inadequate food, housing, clothing, education, health care and security. Other dimensions of poverty can include exclusion, inequality, hopelessness and powerlessness. Failure to meet these needs can and does result in high mortality, illness, illiteracy and unemployment among others.

In Uganda, poverty can be thought of as an environment that encourages strife, lawlessness, morbidity, resort to myth and witchcraft and monetization or corruption of democratic elections and democracy in general. It can also be associated with growing gender inequality and related problems: persistent levels of HIV/AIDS, and excessive school drop out rates despite the free Universal Primary Education.

Whilst we acknowledge the work done by agencies such as the Government of Uganda, NGOs, and the United Nations we believe there is a need for new thinking, new ways and approaches and for other players to add to and boost the existing efforts so as to restore hope and begin realistically to improve the quality of life of many Ugandans.

Therefore, we must ask ourselves the question: What can be done to improve the situation? What roles can we, as Ugandans, including the very poor, play in this process? How can Ugandans work to help improve their own standards of living?