MASAKA, November 21, 2023 – Buganda Kingdom, through its Project to Empower Women through Savings and Loan Associations [PEWOSA], has launched a new project codenamed ‘’PEWOSA Toto’’ to encourage pupils in Greater Masaka schools to develop a culture of saving.
Under the project, pupils are encouraged to save part of the little money earned from small income-generating projects carried out both at school, and home.
At least seven primary schools have adopted this initiative forming ‘pupil income saving groups’. The schools implementing the project include St. Maria-Gorreti Mpugwe Primary School, Masaka Parents Konoweeka Nursery and Primary School, St. Pauline Nyendo Mukudde Primary School in Masaka City and New Standard Primary School in Lwengo district and two others in Kalungu district and Masaka rural district.
PEWOSA Project Coordinator in Masaka region, Charles Kasujja said it is important for children to learn how to save the little money while still in school, adding that they can invest the savings in the future.
He added: ‘’We want to empower children in more than 1,563 primary schools to save the little money they get from school gardening, and rearing of rabbits, poultry at home.”
Kasujja said they would roll out “PEWOSA Toto” in the counties of, Ssese, Mawogola and Kabula, having started with Buddu, adding that officials from Buddu CBS PEWOSA regional offices are mobilising more schools to come onboard.
He said: “Now it is a responsibility for parents to support children with the small income projects because if a parents pays for school fees, a child can decide to use part of his or her savings to pay for porridge or books and pencils.’’
Under “PEWOSA Toto”, each school is supposed to open up an account with Buddu CBS PEWOSA SACCO in Masaka City where the money collected from the pupils is saved.
Francis Ssematimba, the headteacher of St. Maria-Gorreti Mpugwe Primary School said his pupils in P.5 and P.6 were the first to be inspired with the saving initiative which saw them form saving groups with elected leadership.
He said: ‘’My pupils have been saving Shs 200 per individual every week and they managed to raise Shs 140,000 in this academic term.”
He said some pupils in the school started rearing rabbits, chicken, piggery, goats while those in the boarding section established vegetable gardens, tree nursery beds, and briquette projects.
‘’Here at school, pupils are also taught how to make charcoal saving stoves and re-using waste plastic materials to make garbage receptacles, plastic chairs, and curtains made of bottle tops,’’ he said, adding that pupils sell these products and save part of their income with PEWOSA Toto saving groups.
The director for New Standard Primary School in Lwengo district, John Male said “PEWOSA Toto” has helped 342 pupils to save more than Shs 960,000 in the ongoing third academic term.
PEWOSA was introduced by the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II in 2018 with the aim of empowering his subjects economically through SACCOs.
While presiding over the launch of CBS PEWOSA Toto Initiate at Buddu County headquarters days ago, the Prime Minister for Buganda kingdom, Charles Peter Mayiga told theCooperator that promoting a culture of saving among school children will in the end help in the fight against poverty.
He continued: ‘’Poverty in Buganda region will be no more, if both children and parents learn how to save the surplus from their small income generating projects.”
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