DOKOLO, January 21, 2026 — After five years of operation, Dokolo North Restaurant Emyooga Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation [SACCO] in Dokolo district has expanded its loan portfolio, membership, and income-generating activities, including venturing into poultry farming.
The SACCO, which brings together restaurant and catering associations from Dokolo North, namely Adwoki, Atabu, Amonamun, Adok, and Amunda—currently has 180 registered members, the majority of whom are women. The group was initially formed in 2020 under the government’s Emyooga initiative aimed at promoting job creation and wealth generation at the grassroots.
Located at Adwoki Trading Centre in Agwata Sub-county, the SACCO unites food vendors and caterers with a shared goal of saving, supporting one another, and accessing affordable credit.
“This SACCO has changed our lives,” says Semmy Akunyu, a member who keeps 600 birds under the group’s poultry project. “We are now able to pay school fees, invest in farming, and meet household expenses that once overwhelmed us.”
When Akunyu joined the SACCO in 2020, her goal, like that of many small-scale traders in Dokolo district, was modest—to save a little and support her family. Five years later, she now serves as treasurer of the Adwoki Restaurant Emyooga SACCO and proudly notes that the group’s savings stand at Shs12 million.
For Akunyu and 179 other members, the SACCO has become more than a financial institution—it is a lifeline.
According to the chairperson, Janet Abongo, members initially received seed capital of Shs 20 million from the Microfinance Support Centre [MSC], enabling them to expand their catering businesses.
“We took the Emyooga message seriously,” Abongo says. “We registered formally and focused on catering services because that is what most of our members were already doing.”
However, the SACCO faced early challenges. Two associations—Bardyang and Adwoki B—failed to honor loan repayments, prompting the leadership to revoke their membership.
“It was a painful but necessary decision,” Abongo recalls. “We had to protect the integrity of the SACCO and move forward with committed members.”
The SACCO now operates with five associations and charges an annual interest rate of eight percent. In 2023, following a successful audit, the group received an additional Shs 30 million in seed capital, further strengthening its operations.
Although membership temporarily dropped to 150, the SACCO later embarked on a recruitment drive and has since grown back to 180 members, with plans for further expansion.
Borrowing is governed by strict rules tied to individual savings.
“If you save Shs 100,000, you can borrow up to Shs 300,000,” Akunyu explains. “This discipline protects the SACCO and teaches financial responsibility.”
The impact is visible across Dokolo North, with children staying in school, businesses expanding, and households becoming more financially stable.
Dokolo Resident District Commissioner [RDC] Barbra Akech says Emyooga SACCOs in the district are delivering on their mandate.
“Dokolo North Welders Association and Dokolo North Catering Services Association are among the best performers,” Akech notes. “Because of their good records, they have each received additional capital of Shs 20 million.”
The RDC urges beneficiaries to manage the funds wisely to achieve lasting change.
“The aim is to take people out of poverty,” Akech says. “When funds are managed well, they transform not only individuals but entire communities.”
Beyond outside catering, the SACCO has diversified into poultry farming and the hiring out of utensils. Among its notable achievements are the procurement of five tents for hire, 600 chairs, and the purchase of a plot of land worth Shs 2mln where the SACCO plans to construct its office.
“At the moment, we are stable and capable of feeding up to 2,000 guests at any ceremony,” Abongo says.
The Emyooga programme in Uganda, launched in 2019, is a Presidential initiative to fight poverty by helping subsistence farmers and informal workers join the money economy through specialised SACCOs for job and wealth creation, providing seed capital for low-interest loans to groups like boda boda riders, women, carpenters, and artisans to boost their businesses and incomes.
https://thecooperator.news/dokolo-north-emyooga-sacco-loan-portfolio-hits-shs-372mln/
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