UPDF’s Wazalendo Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (WSACCO) has donated two 5,000 litres water harvest tanks to Zuriitech Secondary School in Budaka District. The school is owned by a member of WSACCO, Lieutenant Zurich Mukatabala who serves in UPDF’s Special Forces Command (SFC).
While handing over the tanks on behalf of the Chairman Board of Directors WSACCO Maj Gen Sam Kavuma, the Vice Chairman Lt Col Allan Kitanda said that the Board of Directors (BOD) considered the donation of water harvesting tanks among the items that the member had asked for due to the importance of water in managing the hygiene of the students. He noted that donating to the school was a gesture of giving back to the community and promoting members’ development as stipulated in the vision of Wazalendo SACCO.
Lt Col Kitanda emphasized that the success of any SACCO is measured by the impact that it creates in the community. “As WSACCO, touching lives is a key consideration in our service delivery. The growth of WSACCO over the years has been premised on sticking a balance between the financial mission and the social mission,” said Lt Col Kitanda.
Kitanda emphasized the need for continued engagement with the community and supporting their developmental initiatives in fulfillment of Cooperatives Principle number 7 “Concern for the community”. On a personal level, the Vice chairman contributed to plastering and working on the floor of one of the classroom buildings.
Captain Norah Ongodia who is a BOD Member representing Eastern Region, encouraged the school administration to form a SACCO that will help them to save and borrow in order to remain focused and improve their wellbeing. “Our mission focuses on members’ welfare and one of the ways to improve members’ welfare requires us do what we have done today. By supporting our members’ projects, we are by extension supporting the community,” noted Capt Ongodia.
Capt Ongodia emphasized the message of girl child education and contributed sanitary pads to the female students and pledged to sponsor the making of reusable pads to minimize their expenses at school.
The school proprietor, Lt Zurich Mukatabala, appreciated WSACCO for the support rendered to members such as training on investment selection, offering affordable loans and general financial literacy. “It’s from those trainings that I got the idea of acquiring a loan from WSACCO and investing in building a school structure and now we have this school operating. The school has saved the children of the community from moving long distance to access secondary education. By building this school, I am contributing to the national development through transformation of society but also earning some income,” Lt Mutakabala said.
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