HOIMA – Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and women groups in Hoima City have a reason to smile after they received Shs 151 million to help them improve their household incomes.
According to Hoima City Authorities, the government through the Ministry of Gender and Social Development released Shs.76 million under Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP) to benefit women groups in Hoima City.
UWEP is an initiative of the government that is aimed at improving access to financial services for women and equipping them with skills for enterprise growth, value addition and marketing of their products and services.
The funds were shared with 14 women groups and some of the groups were given Shs.4million and others received Shs12million depending on their projects and the proposals they submitted.
Brian Kaboyo, the Hoima City Mayor said, the groups will be required to pay back the money with the interest of 5% per annum since it’s a revolving fund.
Speaking in a recent orientation meeting for the women groups to empower them with financial management skills, Kaboyo commended the government for the initiative adding that the program is going to facilitate women to boost their business and create jobs to improve on their household income.
Kaboyo cautioned the groups against mismanagement of the funds saying, the challenges always faced by several groups are misuse of government funds dispersed to help in the fight against poverty.
He noted that such money is seed capital, and challenged the groups to invest the money in productive enterprise to service its intended purpose.
He also challenged the group to prioritize paying back of the money since this is a revolving fund, explaining that payment of the money by group members is one of the biggest challenges in previous programs.
“Women are good in business, I know you will benefit if you invest well this money. I also request you to prioritize the issue of paying back this money because if you fail, your fellow women will not be able to benefit,” he said.
Meanwhile Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the same local government have reason to smile after they received over Shs 75 million to help them improve their household incomes.
According to Hope Suzan, the Hoima City Community Development Officer, the funds were released to PWD groups by the central government as a special grant.
She noted that funds will benefit 14 groups which include, Kyentale Tweyambe PWD, Kigabu Cell Ageteraine PWDs, Kiduma Ward Tweyombe PWDs, Kirubika Cell PWDs, Kihukya Cell PWDs, Kibati II women PWDs, Park Secretarial Youth PWDs, Kiryateete PWDs Produce Dealers and Tukwatanize Rabbit Keeping Southern Ward PWDs among others.
She said that each group will get more than Shs.5million, adding that this money is not a revolving fund and the beneficiaries will not be required to pay it back.
She noted that all the groups which applied for the money were considered and challenged PWDs to form groups to ensure that they benefit from government projects.
She commended the government for the initiative, adding that the funds will enable the PWD groups to boost their businesses and create jobs to improve their household incomes.
She cautioned the groups against mismanagement of funds, adding that money will be useful to groups once they invest it wisely.
Denis Tumwesige, the Hoima City Male Councillor for PWDs expressed excitement about the funding saying, the money will help them to have income generating activities and be able to be self reliant.
However, he said that some PWDs who are not financially stable find it difficult to form groups and benefit from such funds due to some conditions.
According to the registration of a group at the city, it requires the group members to save Shs.100, 000 adding that such a condition is affecting many and demanded this condition to be relaxed.
https://thecooperator.news/katakwi-saccos-receive-emyooga-money/
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