VUP implementation gaps call for better interventions-FAO research

{A survey carried out by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on women development through Vision 2020 Umurenge Project (VUP) program identified gaps in the implementation of plans to empower women.}

VUP program was launched in 2008 to support household development through income generation activities.

Some of the faced challenges include delay of delivery of funds for VUP beneficiaries, diverting VUP cash to unplanned projects and injustice of delivering jobs to non-targeted persons and women exclusion in development projects.

The research on women development through VUP was presented yesterday. The leader of the research team, Ana Paula De La O Campos demonstrated that a lot has been done but noted that much more efforts are needed to improve the performance of VUP.

“VUP program has uplifted citizens from poverty and ensured gender equality.
However ,there are more interventions that need to be introduced to realize optimum success of 100%. It would be better if the government strengthened efforts in following up the implementation of VUP to reach targeted performance and enhance equal benefits among stakeholders,” she said.

The research also indicated that some challenges linger in delivery of VUP services including delay of payments for people employed with VUP works direct employment and unfairness in recruiting people to work in VUP jobs.

The head of programs for protecting vulnerable people in LODA, Turatsinze Justin, noted that they have taken measures to deposit cash on the account of beneficiaries without passing through long processes.

Turatsinze requested stakeholders to follow up with the implementation of programs targeting citizens’ development to completely eradicate such identifies challenges.