BY JOACKIM KULE
In a bid to bolster the progress of the Emyooga program in Kasese district and the broader Kabarole region, the Microfinance Support Center is gearing up to allocate additional funds to the most successful SACCOs (Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations).
The Kabarole zone, which encompasses Kasese, has witnessed 504 SACCOs benefitting from the funds in 2021.
Within Kasese alone, 100 SACCOs comprising diverse sectors such as carpentry, beauty salons, restaurants, taxi services, welding, journalism, and veterans of the Rwenzururu movement received a total of 2.8 billion Ugandan shillings.
Mr. Emmanuel Mbogha, the Kabarole Regional Manager of the Microfinance Support Center, emphasized that the primary goal of the Emyooga program is to drive the socioeconomic transformation of households.
This transformation includes shifting from subsistence-based livelihoods to a money-driven economy with an emphasis on market-oriented production, ultimately leading to an increase in employment opportunities.
Mr. Mbogha also conveyed that there is a substantial sum of money earmarked for disbursement to well-performing SACCOs that are displaying commendable recovery progress.
He expressed his satisfaction with the overall progress of most groups, though acknowledging that a few were not recovering at the anticipated pace.
Following a productive benchmarking interaction between beneficiaries from Tesso Sub-region and those in Kasese town, Mr. Wilson Ngene, the Emyooga Coordinator for the Kasese region, highlighted ongoing efforts to evaluate the performance of SACCOs.
Those demonstrating commendable performance are poised to receive additional funds, amounting to 20 million Ugandan shillings each.
However, Mr. Godfrey Bwambale, the Principal Commercial Officer of Kasese Municipal, underscored that progress was evident primarily among two urban SACCOs: restaurant operators and individuals with disabilities.
These entities have notably succeeded in recovering the Emyooga funds.
Mr. John Stephen Ekom, the Resident District Commissioner for Omoro district, who led a delegation from the Tesso sub-region to Kasese town, lauded the program’s positive impact on his region.
Notably, the region has been able to recoup 3 billion Ugandan shillings from 423 SACCOs.
Lt. Joe Walusimbi, the Kasese RDC, expressed optimism that the government’s pro-people projects will effectively uplift individuals out of poverty, further emphasizing the transformative potential of such initiatives.