KWANIA, October 11, 2023 – Kwania North Persons with Disability [PWD] Emyooga SACCO is in need of a computer for effective record keeping.
According to the SACCO leaders, if they can get a desktop computer or laptop, security of their records will be assured but also they will be able to track their daily activities easily.
Tom Okello, the SACCO treasurer said most of their records for different activities are documented on hard paper, filed, and kept in office cupboards, putting them at risk of being stolen, and being destroyed by insects like cockroaches.
How we keep our records is not right. We use paper to document but it can be destroyed at any time, and thieves are always disturbing our office. If we had a laptop, it would work for us very well,” Okello said.
He appealed to Microfinance Support Centre [MSC] to provide the SACCO with at least a laptop, saying they are working in the modern times where use of IT equipment have been prioritised for record keeping.
“We are really doing badly in records keeping, I now call upon MSC to give us a laptop where we can keep our data on different activities,” Okello said.
He also said some SACCO members don’t want to save while other are unwilling to pay their loans, adding that this is affecting the SACCO’s growth.
When contacted, Mable Nabadda, the Lira Zonal Manager of MSC said Kwania North PWD Emyooga SACCO has not yet formally submitted their request for a laptop.
However, she explained that Emyooga SACCOs are given a token of appreciation such as a desktop computer, and additional seed capital of Shs 20 million if they perform better.
“We do quarterly analysis on performance of the SACCOs and now we are tracking reports from each SACCO to see how each of them have performed in the most important parameters like savings, recoveries and how the loans have been put into utilization. If a SACCO shows improvement from the last period, it might get a chance to be supported in the line of computers, additional seed capital,” she explained.
She said MSC would consider the request of Kwania North PWD Emyooga SACCO to have a computer. The Lira Zonal Office of MSC has taken it up and we are in discussion with the Emyooga Secretariat in Kamapala,” Nabadda said.
The SACCO has six associations engaged in farming, produce trade, buying and selling among others. The SACCO has a total of 162 members, where 157 of them are PWDs while 5of them are health caregivers.
Meanwhile, MSC) Northern Zonal Office has given computers to three Emyooga SACCOs. The beneficiary Emyooga SACCOs include; Lira Municipality Taxi Operators Emyooga SACCO, Apac Municipal Veteran SACCO and Aswa Veteran Emyooga SACCO.
George Patrick Otile, a loan officer at Apac Municipality Veteran SACCO said desktop computer and printer received from MSSC have made their operations is very easy.
“They got us doing work on my personal laptop and every time they needed some information during their monitoring, I would just open my laptop and give them the necessary information, so MSC supported us with a desktop computer and a printer which can scan and photocopy as well. All our transactions are captured on the computer,” Otile said.
Bernard Anyeko, the general secretary Lira Municipality Taxi Operators Emyooga SACCO said they could not keep track of their financial management before they received a free desktop computer from MSC.
“We were keeping our records manually and they were not safe in terms of weather changes and exposure to thieves. Now we are keeping our records very well through the Jami System that the institution installed for us on computer. This helps us keep track of our savings, recoveries, and loans outstanding,” Anyeko said.
https://thecooperator.news/msc-to-train-emyooga-saccos-in-lango-acholi/
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