Our History
Matheniko Development Forum (MADEFO) was established in December 1998 as a local indigenous organization to support Karimojong pastoralists to improve their livelihoods. MADEFO is a legal entity registered with the National NGO Board in 2000 and with the Registrar of Companies in 2001. The organization was formed as a response by the Karimojong civil society experiencing many pressing issues affecting the Karimojong, specifically those living in Matheniko County of Moroto district. Among the issues underlying the formation of MADEFO are pervasive poverty and livelihood insecurity, low human development index, and human rights violations resulting from violent armed conflict and the disarmament programme,the devastating state of the environment and the high rate of illiteracy
Our Mission
MADEFO is committed to sustainable peace and livelihoods security of the pastoral people in Karamoja through skills development; conflict management; improved livestock health, production and marketing and sustainable natural resources management
Our Vision
MADEFO envisions an empowered people living in a peaceful and poverty free environment
Our Values
Our Strategic Objectives
Work towards achieving sustainable peace, human rights and good Governance in Karamoja
Work towards ensuring sustainable livelihoods of the pastoral people, through support to Associate Community groups (ACGs), and supporting the improvement of Livestock Production and animal health
Work towards improved natural resources management through provision of water for livestock and pastoral communities.
Strengthening the institutional capacity of MADEFO
Mainstreaming Gender, HIV/AIDS, Access to Markets (ATM) and Community Managed disaster risk reduction (CMDRR) to MADEFO Programs.
Networking, lobby and advocacy on common pastoral issues
Milestones towards objectives
Working with pastoral traditional institutions as an approach in peace building has resulted in peace between the Pokot, Tepeth and Matheniko communities on the Southern livestock corridor, and between the Matheniko and the Turkana for the period 1999 – 2008, and 2006 to date between the two respective communities in the two corridors
The Community institutions of the VICOBA, Pastoralist Field Schools (PFS), the Community Animals Health Workers (CAHWs), and the Community Water User Committees (CWU), the Natural Resource Users/Councils (NARUCs), and the Village Development Councils (VDCs) have been instrumental as pillars of all MADEFO projects
Community Animal Health service delivery as an approach of working with the mobile pastoral communities is being appreciated by both the communities and the government.
Groups of reformed warriors/gun drop outs have been trained linked to the village bank and facilitated them into forming livestock traders Association
Our Projects
Karamoja Livestock Enhancement Project (KLEP)
Peace in the Eastern and Central Africa (Peace III)
Project Goal: To Strengthen local cross-border conflict management in Moroto – Loima conflict corridor by conducting reconciliation activities and drawing learnings from the community structures
Karamoja Livelihood Development Project (KLDP)
Project Goal: To contribute to improvement of pastoral livelihoods in Karamoja.
Skills, Income and Livelihoods in Karamoja (SILK)
Climate Change, Adaptation and Mitigation Project (SYNERGY)
Project Goal: To Lobby and Advocate for increased leaders and development actor’s awareness and adequate responses to climate change impact
Where we work
MADEFO works in Matheniko County of Moroto district and Loroo sub-county in Amudat district. However, through other programs such as human rights promotion and peace building, the organization operates as far as Lorengedwat Sub County in Nakapiripirit district, Napak district, Kotido district and across the border in the districts of Lodwar, Loima, West Pokot in Kenya. MADEFO works in a semi-arid pastoralist livelihood zone located in the eastern part of Karamoja. This area consists of Katikekile, Nadunget, Rupa and Tapach sub-counties inhabited by two ethnic Karimojong groups (Tepeth and Matheniko) who have distinct social and cultural characteristics. MADEFO serves an estimated population of 109, 593 people.
Our Partners
