Fighting poverty: Ugandans advised to embrace PDM, Emyooga
MBALE, January 18, 2024 -The National Coordinator of the Emyooga programme, Ritah Namuwenge has advised Ugandans to use the Parish Development Model [PDM] and Emyooga programme to empower themselves economically.
Namuwenge said the two porgrammes which are aimed at poverty alleviation have strong government support.
Namuwenge made the remarks recently while addressing the Banyole community at the come-together party at Nakaloke Playground in Mbale City.
Emyooga is the presidential initiative on wealth and job creation was launched in August 2019 as part of the broad government strategy targeting to transform 68 percent of homesteads from subsistence to market-oriented production with the overall objective of promoting job creation and improving household incomes.
The initiative is centered on 18 enterprises covering the majority of the hitherto, financially excluded Ugandans engaged in similar specialized enterprise categories. Some of the specialised categories targeted under the programme are; mechanics, welders, plumbers, boda boda riders, taxi drivers, journalists, political leaders, and restaurant owners among others.
Under the programme, each Emyooga SACCO at the constituency level, apart from political leaders’ SACCOs that get Shs 50 million each, gets Shs 30mln revolving fund from which members borrow to fund their projects. Best performing Emyooga SACCOs are rewarded with an additional Shs 20mln to serve the members.
Namuwenge assured Ugandans that these programmes are intended to combat poverty in communities. According to her, several beneficiaries of Emyooga programme in the country are reporting success.
On his part, the Mbale Resident City Commissioner [RCC], John Rex Aachilla instructed Emyooga SACOOs to put in place strong monitoring and assessment frameworks to oversee their operations and leadership structures.
He also asked them to boost their savings, saying this is good for the growth of the SACCO.
The RCC said, emyooga funds have been a tremendous source of finance for hundreds of produce traders in the region, allowing many of them to enhance their lives.
He encouraged other rising SACCOs to embrace collaboration, honesty, and good leadership among others, saying these are necessary for the success of two will help the SACCOs.
Further, Namuwenge emphasised that there is no segregation in the government programmes, highlighting that the government serves all Ugandans irrespective of their political affiliations.
Namuwenge, also a PDM consultant, urged people to join Emyooga and PDM SACCOs in order to benefit from government programmes aimed at fighting household poverty.
The PDM was launched in February 2022, to move 3.5 million households from the subsistence economy to the money economy by engaging in enterprises such as coffee, dairy farming, fish farming, piggery, poultry keeping, and beekeeping among several others.
Under the PDM, each beneficiary gets Shs 1 million to fund their project of choice. Each financial year government disburses Shs 100mln to each parish in Uganda for the beneficiaries’ projects.
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