The East Africa Centre for Research and Innovation in Social Work (CRISOWO) launched one of its latest publications, “Social Work Practice in Africa: Indigenous and Innovative Approaches” on 6th March 2019, in a colourful ceremony at Makerere University. The launch was witnessed by close to 100 participants from academia, social development agencies and government ministries. It was graced by the representatives of the University administration, including the Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Prof. Robert Wamala, the Ag. Principal of College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr Julius Kikoma and the Acting Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Prof Peter Atekyereza. The Austrian representative in Uganda, Mr Günter Engelits and the Assistant Commissioner, Children and Youth (Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development), Mr Mondo Kyateeka, officiated at the launch. Participants also came from other partner institutions of the PROSOWO project namely, Institute of Social Work (Tanzania), University of Rwanda, Hope Africa University (Burundi) and Carinthia University of Social Sciences (Austria).
The book, based on empirical research, presents a selection of indigenous and innovative models and approaches of problem solving that will inspire social work practice and education. At the core of these models lies a conceptual understanding of the community as the overarching principle for effective social work and social development in African contexts. The empirical part of the book has a focus on East Africa and highlights examples from Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya. The book is intended for use by those involved in social work and social development practice, social work educators, students and policy makers.
The book was edited by Dr Janestic Twikirize, Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work and Social Administration at Makerere University and Dr Helmut Spitzer, a Professor of Social Work at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, Austria. Five country specific publications from partner institutions are in print and will available to the public soon.