SOCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

The main purpose of this commission is to ensure that the social and economic development of the Diocese keeps pace with the growing pastoral needs. It consists of the following committees:

The Projects committee: It helps institutions, individuals and groups write projects to obtain assistance from home and abroad. The projects are quite for adverse needs. The areas of activity are basically: health services, assistance to the widows and orphans mainly as a result of AIDS scourge, a forestation, clean water supply, rural shelter, agriculture, animal husbandry, education, small scale industry.

The medical committee: It caters for health care and protection of the lives of the people in the Diocese. The committee's activities are curative, preventive, rehabilitative and educative. The following major programs are implemented: Immunization, Natural family planning, Community based health care; AIDS control programs, Tuberculosis control and the herbs utilization programs.

In the Diocese we have the following church founded medical institutions: There are two Diocesan Hospitals: Kitovu and Villa Maria hospitals. Both of these hospitals are run by the Bannabiikira Sisters of Bwanda. There are nine (9) health centers and fifteen (15) dispensaries. These are either attached to a Parish or to a convent of the Religious. There are two (2) mobile clinics: Kitovu and Villa Maria mobile clinics. These extend medical services to people in remote areas where there are no health centers. They provide pastoral and medical care to the Aids patients and orphans. Attached to Villa Maria hospital is a Nurses Training school. It is a mixed school, which offers a three years course in general nursing. There is also a Laboratory Training school at Kitovu hospital.

Health centers and dispensaries include the following:

The cooperative committee: It promotes the spirit of working together (teamwork). The public needs more education in cooperative skills, storage of produce, and in food preservation, processing and marketing. Through the spirit of cooperatives various clubs are promoted in the Diocese. Women clubs are more pronounced in the Diocese. This is a result of the program of the emancipation and empowerment of women.

The transport Committee: This committee ensures that there is transport facilitation for the different Diocesan departments for pastoral work. It also ensures proper maintenance and care of the available means of transport. Hence, time and again, motorcycles and vehicles are called to the Diocesan headquarters for inspection.