NAKAWA– President Yoweri Museveni has met with beneficiaries of the Emyooga SACCO programme in Butabika and Mutungo, Nakawa Division.
The Saturday visit showcased the progress and impact of the government-backed initiative aimed at enhancing household incomes through job creation and skills development.
President Museveni who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, expressed his satisfaction with the growth and performance of the Emyooga SACCOs in the area, noting that the groups are beginning to thrive.
He reiterated his long-standing message that the path to prosperity is through wealth creation, specifically in three key areas: commercial agriculture, artisanship (such as carpentry and welding), and service-based enterprises like tailoring, salon work, catering, and boda boda transport.
“I’m happy to see you have accepted to start slow — even a baby starts by crawling,” the President remarked, highlighting the importance of patience and persistence in building sustainable businesses.
He commended the group members for gradually embracing the idea of self-empowerment and learning by doing.
“Now you have started waking up. You can hear Tuhirirwe wants more space, but before she started, she didn’t see the need for more space,” he noted.
To bolster the growth of their businesses, President Museveni contributed Shs100 million to their Emyooga SACCOs and announced that the government has allocated Shs 1.5 billion to ghetto groups in major urban centres such as Kampala, Jinja, and Mbale.
Mr. Kibuka Adam, Chairman of Zone 2 SACCO, noted that both the Emyooga and Parish Development Model (PDM) programs are making positive strides in the area, although challenges such as limited land remain.
Ms. Tuhirirwe Winnie, Chairperson of the Mutungo-Mbuya 1 Tailoring SACCO, shared success stories of how the SACCO has empowered women and youth through skills in tailoring, fashion design, jewelry making, and machine use. She explained that the SACCO has not only improved livelihoods but has also helped members escape the trap of predatory moneylenders, thanks to affordable lending within their SACCO.
“Our lives have changed. People now have skills and can earn a living. However, we face challenges of inadequate space for training and production,” Ms. Tuhirirwe said.
She also highlighted the need for additional funds to accommodate the growing number of people seeking loans and to fulfil their vision of establishing a tailoring factory for mass production and export.
In response, President Museveni reassured the members of continued government support and emphasized the importance of scaling up their activities while remaining grounded in the principles of hard work, organization and discipline.
