Leaders of Emyooga Saccos from the Ankole sub-region have been urged to prioritise trust, strong leadership, and a culture of saving if they are to grow their institutions into sustainable mainstream financial entities.
The advice was shared during an exchange learning visit organised by the Microfinance Support Centre (MSC), where 24 Emyooga Sacco leaders from 11 districts, one city, and 12 constituencies in Ankole toured some of the best-performing Saccos in the Rwenzori sub-region to learn from their success.
The participating districts included Sheema, Mitooma, Rubirizi, Isingiro, Rwampara, Kiruhura, Kazo, Ibanda, Mbarara, Buhweju, and Mbarara City.
At Karugutu Cooperative Sacco in Fort Portal, board chairperson Ernest Bwambale told the visitors that trust is the foundation of every successful Sacco.
“If you handle people’s money with integrity, everything else becomes manageable. When it comes to finance, trust drives everything,” Bwambale said.
He explained that Karugutu Cooperative Sacco, which now boasts 12,761 members and a loan portfolio exceeding Shs7 billion, started with only 16 members and just Shs10,000 in share capital.
Bwambale also urged Sacco leaders to recruit trustworthy staff and provide prompt services to members.
“What leadership does sets the tone for the entire organisation. Both leaders and staff must remain accountable to members,” he said.
He further advised strengthening internal controls, managing risks effectively, and minimising unnecessary expenditure to ensure long-term sustainability.
The Sacco manager, Moreen Ahebwa, emphasised the importance of proper record-keeping, consistent saving, and expanding membership.
“With larger membership, Saccos can grow faster because savings increase and lending improves,” she said.
Similar lessons were echoed in Ntoroko District during a visit to Bakiga Banyankole Tumanyane Sacco, where leaders were encouraged to build their institutions on trust and unity.
Treasurer Onesmus Tugarukyeyo explained that their Sacco was established in 2018 by Banyankole and Bakiga settlers seeking to improve their livelihoods in a new community.
“We started with only 21 members and Shs700,000 in share capital. In 2024, the Microfinance Support Centre supported us with Shs20 million, which transformed our journey,” he said.
He added that the funds were used to purchase six bulls, enabling members to expand their businesses and boost savings.
“Our weekly savings increased from Shs250,000 to Shs1.2 million per meeting. We have also acquired land worth Shs8.5 million, where we plan to construct our Sacco office,” Tugarukyeyo said.
Boaz Tuhumure, the MSC Rwenzori Zonal Manager, noted that the exchange visits were introduced due to gaps in management knowledge among many Sacco leaders.
“It’s not just about access to money. Without knowledge and exposure, institutions may struggle to grow sustainably,” Tuhumure said.
He explained that peer-to-peer learning equips leaders with practical skills in governance, leadership, and value addition.
“Some leaders were unaware of opportunities in value addition. Here, they are learning about wine-making, liquid soap production, juice processing, crafts, and packaging. This helps diversify income sources and accelerate growth,” he said.
Tuhumure added that many women-led Saccos have already embraced value addition and are recording better returns beyond the initial government seed capital.
Sheema Deputy Resident District Commissioner Sam Orikunda observed that the Emyooga programme was initially misunderstood when introduced in 2021, with many people perceiving it as free money.
“Some groups treated it as a handout and shared the Shs30 million among themselves, which became a major setback,” Orikunda said.
He stressed the need for a mindset change, particularly among the youth.
“If taken seriously, Emyooga can lift many Ugandans out of poverty. Many people have skills but lack capital. However, some young people still believe success only comes from formal office jobs,” he said.
Orikunda urged leaders and parents to encourage young people to embrace practical work, including value addition and entrepreneurship.
Rehmah Namatovu from Isingiro North Produce Dealers Emyooga Sacco said the visit provided valuable insights into better Sacco management.
“We observed women producing herbal jelly, wine, and other products. We also learnt that some Saccos allow members to access their savings as a form of loan protection, which is something we should adopt,” she said.
She highlighted the importance of strong mobilisation and proper member screening.
“They carefully assess members’ businesses and their ability to save and borrow responsibly. We need to improve mobilisation because higher membership translates into increased savings, lending, and loan recovery,” she added.
Namatovu said the leaders returned inspired to transform their Saccos into larger and more sustainable institutions.
“We are hopeful that in the coming years, we will build stronger Saccos and expand further. This visit has exceeded our expectations,” she said.