The Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema has commended the Youth Platform Africa (YPA) for transforming Uganda through agribusiness.
YPA empowers young people through commercial goat farming, agribusiness training, access to export markets, and financial incentives like the innovative Section B Giveaway Car program.
“As a company we are still growing. We are introducing agro-inputs and we shall soon be in position to supply the full range of agro products and services,” said Col. Nakalema who also serves as the YPA patron.
She made the remarks on Friday 8th August 2025 while addressing members of YPA during a car prize give-away ceremony at their head office in Rubaga, Kampala City.
Col. Nakalema noted that her work is to protect investors both from abroad and within the country and YPA is a big investment in Uganda that adds value to the nation’s socio-economic transformation.
She said YPA work is in line with H.E the President’s vision of fighting poverty through commercial agriculture.
“I’m so happy for your hard work, though sometimes I get hard on you but I do so, in that I encourage you to grow more. We are very proud of you and H.E really appreciates you for spreading the wealth creation gospel all over and soon he will visit the YPA farms,”she said.
“I had only 100 goats without an increase in number but when I gave my farm to YPA to manage it, my goats are now producing day and night.”
At the same event, through the financial incentive dubbed “Section B Giveaway Car program”, members were given a chance to raffle and win a Toyota Harrier.
The winner of the car was Mr. Nduhura Lauben.
According to Col. Nakalema, Section B comes as part of YPA’s annual business cycle to appreciate its members for their loyalty and commitment.
“It also serves to demonstrate our integrity underscoring our dedication to fulfil what we promise. This speaks to our transparency as a membership organization, reassuring members that when we pledge, we deliver,” she said.
“Since the inception of Section B campaign, our membership has grown from 13,000 to 13,500 members within a period of 3 months. Section B therefore comes off as proof that when people are serious, focused and united, great things happen.”
Col. Nakalema therefore encouraged the YPA members to dedicate their energies towards seizing opportunities that lie ahead of them and exploit them for maximum impact on livelihoods.
“Our promise is that this event only marks the beginning. Our mission continues – to build leaders, break cycles of poverty and drive change across Africa.”
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Managing Director, Mr. Patrick Ayota assured YPA that NSSF will work with the group and support it to grow faster.
“Many of us have lost hope in this country, everywhere you go, you see dust on roads, but if you go beyond that dust, you see new roads and buildings being set up. This is due to the impact of some people like Obed Ben who are contributing to the national development of this country,” he said.
He also revealed that NSSF aims to increase the number of savers from 3 million to 15 million by 2025 and this could only be achieved through working with groups such as YPA.
“We work through different groups to grow that number. I’m going to send a team here and see how we can support you to grow faster,” Mr. Ayota said.
“If we work together as a country, in the next 10 years a lot can be achieved. There are little things you can do to change or develop this country.”
The President of the Seventh day Adventist Church in Uganda and Secretary General of the East and Central Africa Division, Dr. Maka Moses Ndimukika encouraged Ugandans to join YPA to create wealth through agribusiness.
“God never created you to suffer. I want you to claim your position in the Lord. As we come together with Afande Nakalema is to show you an example that you should come and join us because we are also here. Poverty is a disaster, you need to create wealth,”he said.
The Managing Director of YPA, Mr. Obed Ben revealed that the organisation started in 2008 as an ordinary village group with 21 individuals.
“Along the way one of the members left. He was the richest in the group, he thought that we had no vision and a burden to him. Now the 20 members have grown into 13,000 members,” he said.
Mr. Obed further disclosed that they now have 110,000 goats, 6000 cows, 2.5 square miles of maize and hundreds of bee hives as well as a SACCO.
YPA also has four mbuzi choma restaurants around the country.
“Our innovative initiatives span a wide range of sectors, including agribusiness, technology and entrepreneurship. Our primary objective is to provide young Africans with opportunities to flourish and create lasting impact within their communities,” he said, adding that YPA are the leading goat farmers in East Africa.
“We embarked on research, we mastered the game and in 2014, we had grown the number of goats to thousands.”
Mr. Obed further explained that agriculture is profitable but management is the problem.
“Now as YPA we have proper human resource management. We have active management like we do with Afande’s farm and passive management where you don’t have land or animals, you pay and we manage for you in our farms. The goats are free from risk because we insure them.”
He also unveiled the organization’s future plan of setting up 2 factories that will be producing wheat and fertilizers.
The car winner, Mr. Nduhura expressed gratitude to YPA for enabling him to drive his first car.
“I said let me try my luck. I bought shares of Shs300,000 from YPA SACCO this morning. I was not expecting this, I came here to see who was going to win this car,” he said.
“I have never dreamt of winning a car. The proceeds of Shs7 million I invested in buying goats and maize is what I was planning to use to buy a car.”
The event was also attended by YPA partners such as Mr. Papindra Palsingh of GGS Exports (India) and Mr. Shahzad Ellahi of Agro Corner Ltd.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
