Beneficiaries of Emyooga program in Ntungamo district have hailed government for introducing the program that they said if joined by all, poverty will be a story of the past.
“I got a loan of Shs800000 which I used to add on my stock. I bought shirts, curtains and bedsheets from Kampala and life has never been the same again,”said Adella Kembabazi, a businesswoman in Rubaare Town Council in Ntungamo District who is also a member of Rusheyi market Vendors Emyooga Sacco .
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She said that whereas she struggled to get capital to add into her business, Emyooga program came in handy.
Geoffrey Busingye, a music producer and a member of Rusheyi Performers Emyooga sacco said that when his sacco received the shs30 million seed capital from the Microfinance Support Center, he took a Shs 1 million loan that he says he added onto his other savings to start a studio known as Calls Production Studio in Rubaare town.
“The studio is now being used by artists in the area to produce their music at a cheaper price,” he said.
Bestie Lativa the secretary of Rusheyi Performers Sacco but also a musician said she used a loan from her sacco to record songs both in audio and video.
" I am now doing well since the Covid-19 restrictions have been withdrawn," she said
The beneficiaries said whereas the initiative of Emyooga is good and many have benefitted, government needs to inject more seed capital into the saccos.
" I need to modernize the studio and since the equipment we need is expensive, I need more money,” Busingye said.
Ntungamo deputy RDC Isaiah Byarugaba said the western district has the potential to be the best in Emyooga program.
" We have the best bananas in the country and the best beans. The sky is the limit,”Byarugaba said.
He said that the they naysayers of Emyooga program should now be ashamed of their words.
" Where are the doomsayers? Emyooga program will go from strength to strength,” he said.
The State Minister for Microfinance, Haruna Kasolo who was concluding monitoring of Emyooga in Ntungamo noted that said technocrats such as Commercial Officers are critical in implementing government programs and that's where their attention should be.
Kasolo explained that he decided to leave his office in the capital Kampala to camp in the villages to strategize with technocrats on how best poverty can be fought.
" This is not an easy task. President Museveni has been winning many battles but so far this one of poverty has persisted,”Kasolo noted.
To eradicate poverty, Kasolo said, there's a need to join forces.
" Ordinary people need to help us by listening to what leaders are saying. With that, we shall eliminate poverty."
