The appeal was made during the phase-out ceremony of the Heroes Programme, a six-year Netherlands-funded initiative implemented by Heroes for Gender Transformative Action in the Nile Basin districts of Mayuge and Namayingo.
The programme focused on integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), targeting young people aged between 10 and 24 years and women aged 15 to 49 years.
Programme Manager Michael Muyomba highlighted the programme’s achievements, including improvements in antenatal and postnatal care services, renovation of youth-friendly corners as safe spaces, and training of health workers and peer educators.
The initiative also aimed at improving decision-making skills among beneficiaries, strengthening health systems, promoting gender-responsive communities, reducing social tolerance towards sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and enhancing response mechanisms for survivors.
According to Muyomba, the programme made substantial financial contributions to the district’s health sector. The project reportedly contributed 45 percent of health facility budgets, financed 9.2 percent of Health Centre IV annual budgets, accounted for 35.9 percent of Health Centre III Results-Based Financing allocations, and supported 64.1 percent of Primary Health Care funding.
Despite these achievements, Muyomba cautioned that the programme’s closure could leave significant gaps if local governments fail to institutionalise key interventions.
He noted that the collapse of services shortly after donor-funded projects end remains a recurring challenge that undermines community trust and weakens donor confidence.
“By the time evaluations are conducted after a programme ends, there is often nothing left to show for accountability. This is why sustainability planning is not optional. It demonstrates to donors that meaningful impact was created in the communities where we worked,” Muyomba said.
To ensure continuity, he recommended integrating the Journey Plus and Whole School Approach models into the District Education Officer’s supervision framework, strengthening health supply chain management through the District Health Office, sustaining community advice centres through Community Development Officer oversight and sub-county budgets, and linking School Support Groups to government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga.
Other recommendations included strengthening peer educator networks, maintaining the Together We Decide Plus programme, formalising referral pathways, transitioning selected interventions to community-based organisations, and enhancing monitoring and evaluation systems through standard operating procedures and regular performance reviews.
Assistant District Health Officer Betty Kawala commended the organisation for complementing government efforts in service delivery and improving health outcomes in the district.
She cited reductions in teenage pregnancies and early marriages as evidence of the programme’s positive impact, noting that while the challenges persist, significant progress has been registered in recent years.
“The capacity-building strategy employed under this programme has greatly improved the competence of health workers. The challenge now is how the district can utilise the knowledge and skills embedded within communities and the health workforce to continue supporting girls, boys, and women who benefited from the project,” Kawala said.
Principal Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Ali Kyamusana Nabongo, representing the Chief Administrative Officer, pledged to integrate the programme’s interventions into district planning processes despite financial constraints.
He said data generated through the programme would provide valuable insights for planning and targeting interventions in areas with the greatest need.
Assistant Resident District Commissioner Lazaro Magezi directed the District Inspector of Schools to continue monitoring facilities established by NGOs, stressing that oversight should not end when implementing partners leave.
“These facilities were established to serve communities. We cannot afford to watch them deteriorate simply because a programme has ended,” Magezi said.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that with deliberate planning, stronger local ownership, and integration into government systems, the gains achieved under the Heroes Programme can be sustained and expanded to benefit future generations.