SOROTI CITY, March 1, 2026 — In Soroti City West Division, beneficiaries of the government’s Parish Development Model [PDM] have expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni for launching the initiative, which has enabled them to access funds aimed at boosting their livelihoods.
Launched in February 2022, the PDM seeks to reduce poverty, increase household incomes and expand financial inclusion, with a particular focus on rural areas. The financial inclusion programme is intended to transition 3.5 million households from subsistence farming into the money economy.
A total of 50 beneficiaries received funds disbursed at Pentecostal Assembly Church in Pamba Ward. Under the programme, each beneficiary receives a soft loan of Shs 1 million to invest in selected enterprises such as coffee farming, piggery, poultry keeping, fish farming and dairy production, among others.
Emmanuel Oriokot, one of the beneficiaries, expressed his gratitude, saying he had doubted the funds would ever arrive but was pleased they had finally been released. He pledged to use the money wisely.
He urged fellow beneficiaries to invest prudently, emphasising that the funds were intended to improve their livelihoods and should not be diverted to other purposes.
“This is an opportunity to change your lives. Invest it well, and we thank President Museveni for thinking about us,” he said.
Sylvia Achebo, another beneficiary from Pamba Ward, also thanked the President for fulfilling his promise.
She said she plans to invest the money in her piggery project, a venture she had long wished to pursue but lacked the capital to start.
Achebo expressed hope that the government would consider increasing the funding to enable beneficiaries to expand their projects, adding that additional support would significantly boost their efforts.
George Asubu, Chairperson of the Parish Development Committee and LCII Chairperson for Pamba Ward, said they had prioritised individuals who missed out during the previous funding round due to limited resources.
He urged those who had not yet received funds to remain patient, assuring them that they would also benefit.
“As long as you have been trained and received your certificates, you remain eligible for support. It is only a matter of time before you receive your share,” Asubu said.
He cautioned beneficiaries against deviating from their approved project plans, such as poultry or goat rearing, warning that the committee would closely monitor the projects to ensure compliance.
George William Tukei, the Commercial Officer for Soroti City, noted that Shs 50 million had been received so far, with the remaining Shs 50 million expected to be disbursed in the next quarter of the current financial year.
He expressed optimism that the funds would be used effectively to strengthen local businesses and projects.
The PDM continues to receive funding from the central government, with the latest release amounting to Shs 529 billion for PDM SACCOs. This brings the total disbursed under the programme to Shs 3.216 trillion, benefiting more than 10,589 PDM SACCOs, each of which has received Shs 50 million.
The programme has recorded significant participation from women, who account for 53 per cent of beneficiaries. Overall, the PDM is steadily transforming Uganda’s economy, one parish at a time.
https://thecooperator.news/tororo-officials-urged-to-ensure-pdm-beneficiaries-repay-loans-as-agreed/
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