Excitement as Kole launches disbursement of PDM funds

KOLE -Beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model [PDM] in Kole district are excited following the launch of the disbursement of the funds to their bank accounts.

PDM, a poverty alleviation programme was launched by President Museveni on February 26, 2022, targeting to move 3.5 million households still in the subsistence economy to the money economy.

However, the delay to disburse the PDM funds had created a lot of frustration for the targeted beneficiaries in Kole district who said they had waited for more than a year after the launch of this programme to access the money.

The disbursement of the funds to the beneficiaries was launched recently at Kole district headquarters by Kole deputy resident district commissioner, Ekizot Gabriel throwing beneficiaries into joy.

During the launch 34 beneficiaries received the fund in their mobile money accounts and are expected to use it to engage in income generating activities in the agriculture sector such as dairy, piggery, bananas, fish farming, and poultry keeping among others.

Esther Ajwang, one of the beneficiaries who received Shs 600,000 during the launch said, “I am very happy that I received Shs 600,000 in my mobile money account. It is exactly the money I requested to cultivate maize for sale. The money has come at the right time when the second planting season is about to begin,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Dickens Oder of Abur PDM SACCO who received Shs 1mln was excited that the money he requested came through after waiting for long. Oder said he would use the money to start his piggery project.

While launching the disbursement of the PDM funds, Kole deputy resident district commissioner Ekizot Gabriel urged the PDM beneficiaries to put the money to good use.

“I want to give a warning that the money should not be for weddings and luxuries. The money should not be for marriages,” he said.

Moses Angor Ongom, Kole district LCV vice-chairperson pledged to effectively monitor the five-year programme whose major funding began in the last financial year.

“We shall monitor PDM at the grassroots and this will be done every quarter. The Global Position System [GP]) will be used for monitoring this programme. If you receive this money and think you will hide in Nwoya district, the system will track you. I advise you to put this money to good use to improve your livelihoods,” he said.

Lawrence Ogweng, PDM focal point person for Kole district, who is also the district Principal assistant secretary said the disbursement of the money had been delayed due to challenges experienced while collecting data on the beneficiaries.

According to Ogweng, Kole registered 1,215 enterprise groups under the 54 PDM SACCOs. Each SACCO has so far received Shs 56mln out of the Shs 100mln promised by government in the last financial year.

“More funds shall be sent to the SACCOs. Government is committed to sending Shs1 trillion annually to 10,594 parishes in the country with each of the 10, 594 parishes getting Shs100mln as a revolving fund for enterprise groups. So for now, let us utilise the money at hand well,” he said.

 https://thecooperator.news/lango-cooperative-union-to-build-shs1bln-maize-mill-in-kole-district/

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