By.Oola Courage Allan
Communication Officer Kitgum

Kitgum ARDC Calls for Greater Investment in Mindset Change and Coordinated Community Development

The Assistant Resident District Commissioner (ARDC) for Kitgum District, Geoffrey Oguti, has called on development partners operating in the district to strengthen collaboration and invest more in mindset-change interventions to address persistent social and economic challenges affecting communities.

The ARDC made the call during a partners’ review meeting organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kitgum District, where he noted that while government has invested significantly in programmes targeting young people and other vulnerable groups, mindset-related challenges continue to undermine the impact of these interventions.

Oguti pointed to several government programmes aimed at improving the livelihoods of young people, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), and various youth skilling initiatives. However, he observed that the benefits of these programmes can be limited when beneficiaries lack the mindset needed to effectively utilize the opportunities provided.

“Government has made significant investments in programmes targeting the youth, but there is still a need to address mindset-related challenges if these interventions are to achieve their intended impact,” Oguti emphasized.

He also called for increased support to the Community Development Department, describing it as one of the critical departments in the district but which remains inadequately funded despite its broad mandate.

According to Oguti, the department plays a central role in supporting youth, women, older persons and persons with disabilities, making it important for development partners to strengthen their support to enable it to effectively deliver services to these groups.

The ARDC further highlighted teenage pregnancy and school dropout among girls as major concerns requiring concerted action from all stakeholders.

He urged partners to work with the district leadership, cultural leaders, political leaders and technical teams to ensure that girls remain in school and complete their education.

Oguti noted that school dropout is particularly concerning in some rural communities, where a number of girls are unable to complete primary education.

He therefore called for a coordinated approach involving development partners, government institutions, cultural leaders and communities to address the underlying factors contributing to teenage pregnancy and school dropout.

He emphasized that meaningful change at community level would require collective responsibility, stronger partnerships and sustained interventions, rather than isolated efforts by individual organizations.

The ARDC encouraged partners to align their interventions with district priorities and strengthen coordination to ensure that available resources are directed towards the most pressing needs of communities in Kitgum.
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