University Partnership for Outreach, Research and Development (UPFORD)
UPFORD is a three-pronged partnership between the University of Notre Dame, Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), and residents of the nearby Nnindye parish, made up of 12 rural villages. In 2007 members of the Ford Family Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity from Notre Dame visited Nnindye for the first time. Over the course of many subsequent visits, Notre Dame and UMU faculty came to realize their tremendous opportunity to pioneer a bold and innovative model for university-led partnerships aimed at combatting extreme poverty in the developing world. Though the process of community engagement is challenging, time consuming and complex, UPFORD remains committed to creating this model. The partnership operates according to the following philosophy:
"The Ford Program promotes a holistic model of human development, which is guided by the principles of Catholic social teaching and grounded in the recognition of the inherent human dignity of every person. We stand in solidarity with those in deepest need, learning from them and working together with them as they become agents of their own change."
Though my research focuses on the challenges that arise throughout this process of participatory development, I emphasize that the lessons learned in Nnindye can serve to form a working model for partnerships in development throughout the developing world.
A Model for Partnerships in Development
Timeline of UPFORD Major Events
- 2007: Father Jenkins, President of University of Notre Dame, and Father Bob Dowd, Director of the Ford Family Program, visit Nnindye for the first time.
- 2008: Baseline Survey Assessment conducted to identify resources, capacities, vulnerabilities and aspirations in Nnindye.
- 2009: Survey results shared with Nnindye residents; development priorities identified
- 2010: Development initiatives begin in Nnindye, starting with the agriculture sector