At least 25 Emyooga Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) in Kigezi sub region are set to be registered as permanent cooperative Organisations.
The enterprise groups were in December 2020 funded by the Government of Uganda at a county level, and some of them have continued saving and doing businesses well.
Boaz Tuhumwire, the Micro Finance support Center Kigezi Regional manager says the sub region has at least 270 Emyooga SACCOs with membership of 6,934.
Tuhumwire says government disbursed Ugx 6.4 billion in 2020 in all the SACCOs of Kigezi and the they have now grown to Ugx 11.3 billion. He also revealed that recovery would be higher only that it was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He added that recovery is now at Ugx 5.3 Billion. Tuhumwire made these revelations on Tuesday at White Horse Inn in Kabale municipality while in a training of the leadership of the SACCOs that are yet to be registered permanent.
The share capital is expected to rise to Ugx 14 billion by the end of 2022. Emyooga SAACOs in Kigezi are estimated to have created 74,234 jobs.
Godfrey Nyakahuma, the Kabale Resident District Commissioner while officiating at the workshop, appreciated the government for starting the Emyooga programme, noting that it has helped many people to change their mindset towards improving their livelihoods.
Nyakahuma said that that the 39 % of Ugandans living in poverty that were left out in the various programs like Emyooga have now been considered in the new program of parish development model and there is no doubt, the Ugandan government has tried to bring programs aimed at fighting poverty .
Rachael Kobugabe, the Micro Finance Support Center senior institutional development officer in charge of capacity building for Emyooga says that government is working with the leadership of other SACCOs in Kigezi such that they also get elevated to become permanent organisations.
According to Kobugabe, the other SACCOs will continue to be assisted to get permanent as well license from The Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority (UMRA).
The following Emyooga SACCOs will soon get the permanent status:
Kinkizi East produce dealers, Kinkizi west produce dealers, Kinkizi east women entrepreneurs, Kinkizi west carpenters, Kabale municipality women entrepreneurs, Ndorwa east women entrepreneurs , Kabale municipality boda boda operators, Ndorwa west market vendors , Kabale municipality marker vendors, Kabale municipality carpenters, Kisoro municipality women entrepreneurs, Kisoro municipality produce dealers, Bufumbira south women entrepreneurs, Bufumbira east produce dealers, Bufumbira south performing artists, Bufumbira east produce dealers, Bufumbira a north carpenters, Bukimbiri produce dealers, Rubanda west produce dealers, Rubanda west women entrepreneurs, Rubanda east produce dealers, Rubabo produce dealers, Rubabo boda boda operators, Rukungiri municipality women entrepreneurs, Rujumbura produce dealers and Rukiga women entrepreneurs.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com