Alebtong: Shs 600mln UWEP funds unrecovered
The district began implementing the programme in the 2016/2017 financial year, and since then it has supported 93 groups with 1,223 beneficiaries
ALEBTONG, 4 December 2024 – The recovery of revolving funds that the government advanced to various women’s groups in Alebtong district under the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme [UWEP] remains very low.
The district began implementing the programme in the 2016/2017 financial year, and since then it has supported 93 groups with 1,223 beneficiaries.
According to Susan Acen, the Alebtong district’s Senior Community Development Officer, a total of Shs 768 million was disbursed to the beneficiaries in the district.
The overall goal of UWEP is to empower Ugandan women to improve their income levels and contribute to economic development.
“UWEP, as we know it, is a revolving fund where the groups that benefit are expected to pay back the money, and the profit generated from it is sent to the Bank of Uganda, which reimburses it back to other members,” she explained while addressing residents of Omoro Sub-county during the PDM assessment days ago.
“As I said, the total recovery out of the Shs 768mln disbursed is only Shs 127mln, which translates to 16.8 percent. This is very low, considering the time we have been implementing the programme, and yet the government is saying we should revolve what we have recovered,” she said.
She added that due to the poor recovery rate, Alebtong district will not be able to support other groups, as the funds recovered are minimal.
She attributed the low recovery of the disbursed money to a negative mindset and perception of the programme.
“Some people believed it was free money or a presidential ‘handshake’ for the community, so even after training and providing them with various instructions, they still feel it is free money,” she noted.
She stated that many of the groups, after receiving the money, developed internal conflicts and disintegrated.
UWEP loans are interest-free if repaid within the first 12 months but a 5 percent annual service fee applies to repayments made after the first 12 months. The maximum loan period is three years.
The Resident District Commissioner, Geoffrey Okiswa, called on women who received the funds to repay them so that others can benefit.
He added that government programmes such as the Parish Development Model [PDM], Emyooga, and UWEP are designed to improve household incomes and drive economic transformation, but they are being misused.
https://thecooperator.news/uwep-boosts-livelihoods-of-women-in-lira-district/
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