Minister Ogwang launches fundraising drive for women SACCOs
KATAKWI – The Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang last weekend launched a fundraising drive for women SACCOs in Ngaraim County, Katakwi district, saying it will help them fight household poverty.
The initiative dubbed, Women Empowerment is aimed at helping women move out of poverty by engaging in income-generating activities through their SACCOs.
The initiative will see special emphasis put on funding women through Village Savings and Loans Associations [VSLAs] and SACCOs.
Minister Ogwang who is also Ngariam County legislator, offered Shs 200 million to kick-start the funding of the initaitive while the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among contributed over Shs 120mln. Other members of parliament who were present contributed between Shs 500,000 -10mln each.
Members of parliament who attended the fundraising event included Joan Alobo [Soroti City Woman MP], Jonathan Ebwalu [MP Soroti City West], Edmund Ariko [MP Soroti City East], and Stella Apolot Isodo [Ngora district Woman representatives].
Others were; Evelyn Anite [State Minister for Privatisation and Investment], Lillian Aber [Woman MP Kitgum District], Fred Opolot [Pingire County MP], Jane Ruth Acheng, Minister of Health who is Lira City MP, and State Minister for Cooperatives, Fredrick Gume Ngobi among others.
Ogwang said that it is time for women to concentrate on work to improve the incomes of their households given that most SACCOs and VLSAs are dominated by women.
Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among challenged the political leaders to support women and youth to eradicate poverty as they embrace government development programmes such as the Parish Development Model [PDM], Youth Livelihood Programme [YLP], and Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme [UWEP], among others.
Among called for financial literacy training in order to realise returns on investments as far as the revolving funds are concerned.
“We are testing the women now and we shall come back and give more money,” Among, said.
Meanwhile Bosco Okiror, the Usuk County MP applauded Among and other legislators for having come to support minister Ogwang, saying the initiative is a huge task that cannot be handled by only one person.
“We are here to support the groups and we believe we shall all fight poverty,” Okiror said.
The Minister of State for Cooperatives, Fredrick Gume Ngobi pledged to support the residents in the district to form cooperatives.
Capt. Mike Mukula, the National Resistance Movement [NRM] vice chairperson Eastern region called for unity so that development can be achieved.
https://thecooperator.news/msc-boosts-lira-city-womens-group-with-cash/
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