As the saying goes, a picture speaks a thousand words. But actually, video is an even more effective communication tool. For quite some time, Danish Management has used video clips in monitoring work to give stakeholders an audio-visual feel of the realities of monitored projects. And recently, video was an essential part of the monitoring of the Energy for Rural Transformation Program in Uganda.

Jane Larsen of Danish Management carried out the intensive monitoring mission in rural Uganda in April and May on behalf of the Ugandan Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The goal was to monitor the impact of the Energy for Rural Transformation Program rolled out in rural Uganda and partly funded by the World Bank.

The overall objective of Jane’s mission was to video-document the rural livelihoods and to travel with a team of researchers in charge of the qualitative research to sites in rural Uganda; Sironko (East), Paidha (North West) and Kisiizi (South West).

Participatory Monitoring
Using video in monitoring work is a relatively new way of communicating development work. Jane’s video monitoring was founded in a participatory approach and a very dynamic interaction with the protagonists. Her main areas of focus were to

1. Capture the landscapes and agricultural activities and practices (living foundations)
2. Capture trading centers and business activities carried out (entrepreneurship)
3. Visit/capture various kinds of enterprises using traditional and improved energy sources
4. Visit/capture Education and health institutions (not) hooked to the grid power line and investigate different sources and uses of energy (purposes and outcomes)
5. Specifically ask for School laboratory equipment and experiments (not) being carried out
6. Focus on Health facility laboratory equipment and investigations or lack of the same
7. Investigate and capture acquisition and use of household electrical equipment
8. Visit households (not) hooked to the grid, with (no) solar PV panels, or (no) generator
9. Capture Computers and other ICT facilities in operation – and media use in general
10. Energy technologies and equipment – what’s there and what is it used for?
11. Include issues of Street lighting and of security (real and felt)

The video footage will turn into small video clips for the project website (http://www.ertuganda-impact.or.ug).

The Energy for Rural Transformation Program
The aim of the Energy for Rural Transformation Program is to implement renewable energy power-projects. Hence, the goal is to generate and distribute power in rural areas of Uganda and to facilitate access to electricity - and via these interventions to improve rural income generation and quality of life for the Ugandan people. This is interlinked with the overall objective of the program, which is poverty reduction.