(introduction...)

Now that we have gone through the major stages of an income generating project - namely, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation - we need to get to the question of how to build the "capacity' of individual PWDs and the organization (or the project) to undertake all these activities.

The Entebbe Workshop defined "capacity building" as follows:

Capacity and capability building is defined as the empowerment which encompasses the ability, will and skills to initiate, plan, manage, undertake, organise, budget, monitor/supervise and evaluate project activities. Thus capacity and capability building are related to the organizational and functional levels as well as to individuals, groups and institutions. In the light of the above definition, and the paralytic effect of the lack of capacity and capability, the Workshop provided the following guidelines to capacity and capability building programmes or components of projects:

· Education, as the key to information and ability, should, as a matter of policy, be made available to all PWDs within the mainstream services subject to the suitable training of instructors or change agents to meet the specific needs of the various disabilities. This was an immediate need in respect of children.

· With regard to adults, it was recommended that a sufficiently structured adult education system which imparts skills relevant and useful to the various disabilities should be instituted.

· For integrated training and education services to take place, it was proposed that attention be paid to the need for technology inputs required by the adaptation to accommodate the needs of the PWDs.

· In addition to education and training, capacity and capability building should be pursued through informal approaches like networking, visits to similar projects within the country, neighbouring states and the continent whenever possible.

· Continuous learning can also be ensured through instruments like refresher courses, correspondence, personal reading, club and group membership and participation in special activities like seminars, feasibility studies, appraisals and evaluation projects.

· Finally, it was resolved and recommended that the professionals who work with people with disabilities should understand and have the experience and positive attitude to work with individuals, groups and organizations in building of local knowledge and experience with a view to strengthening their institutional capacity.

That says it all. However, we need to break this comprehensive and lofty resolution into analytical parts for highlighting some of its essential elements.