WACSOF (formerly Bushenyi District Civil Society Organisations Forum).
On 9th November 2005, Western Ankole Civil Society Forum (formerly Bushenyi District Civil Society Organisations Forum) was born against the backdrop of a gap in NGO coordination and networking in the then Bushenyi District located in South Western Uganda. WACSOF is a result of the need by citizens of Ankole, through their organizations to come together and speak with a common voice, on issues affecting their progress.
Our diverse membership is comprised of Citizens Organisations in their diversity, including NGOs, CBOs, and Farmers Associations, village self-help groups, Women’s rights groups, Youth and Students associations, Faith-Based Organisations and other not-for-profit associations officially operating in Uganda, which subscribe to the mission, vision and values of WACSOF.
WACSOF has an elaborate governance structure allowing internal democracy and good governance to flourish and provides for a strong/firm foundation for its growing subnational presence, visibility and legitimacy. The main governance organs of the Forum are the General Assembly, the Board of Directors, District Coordination Committees and the Secretariat.
From its inception in 2005, WACSOF has grown from a membership of 24 CSOs to over 93 organisations to-date.
The WACSOF identity distinguishes it as a Citizens Space for collective voice and action. It is couched in a context where we desire to promote greater unity in the face of unprecedented fragmentation of our society.
Our focus is on enhancing citizen activism by informing and coordinating collective voices of citizens in governance and democratization processes.
With its well-defined niche and sub-national positioning, WACSOF has continued to gain more confidence as a convener, an ‘alternative’ citizens’ space and a representative citizens’ voice in the region.
WACSOF has become widely known because of its wider experience in undertaking governance work especially in promoting, coordinating and facilitating citizen organising and action at community, district and regional level, and with reasonable engagement at national level through its increasingly effective networking with national organisations and other NGOs across Uganda.