A group of five (5) ghetto youth are now earning a living after setting up a metal welding workshop using the money they received from Kaliro Ghetto SACCO under the Presidential Initiative on empowering the ghetto youth.
Muyirima Joshua, the manager of China Town Ghetto workshop in China Town Ghetto, Industrial Area, Kaliro , said they started the enterprise after receiving Shs500,000 from the initiative and added Shs1,000,000 which he got from his mother who had sold her five goats.
“We thank President Museveni for the financial support. It has transformed our lives,” he said.
Before getting the empowerment fund, Mr. Muyirima revealed that he used to fetch water for area residents for a small fee.
“I used to do odd jobs as I trained in welding so when we got the Presidential support it was very easy to mobilise my colleagues to start a welding workshop,” he added.
“We, however, request H.E the President to give us more funds to buy more machines and increase our production capacity.”
This is one of the many success stories among the ghetto youth in Busoga following President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s Shs1.2 billion financial support to the 12 ghetto SACCOs in the districts and city in the sub region. Last year, each SACCO received a total of Shs100 million. This revolving fund is supposed to be paid back after a period of one year with a minimal interest rate of 6 percent per annum.
The Assistant Resident District Commissioner- Kaliro, Mr. Kiyuka Michael commended President Museveni for investing in the ghetto youth.
“Initially these ghetto youth thought the government had abandoned them but after the introduction of this project, they realised that they are being cared for,” said Mr. Kiyuka, adding that so far 600 ghetto youth have benefited from the first phase of the project.
“The good thing is that these youth embraced the project and we encouraged them to involve themselves in income generating activities after receiving the funds meant to uplift their livelihoods. Some of them were criminals but now they are reformed citizens.”
Mr. Kiyuka also requested President Museveni to increase the funding so that more ghetto youth are involved.
“For example these youth at the workshop want to train more of their colleagues but they don’t have the capacity,” he said.
“The project has helped the ghetto youth to become more productive. They no longer involve themselves in crimes because they are busy with work.”
Another ghetto group comprising 30 members in Iganga District invested the money from the district ghetto SACCO in commercial agriculture. They grow cabbages, maize, cassava and beans.
The group under their Nakigo Sampodolia Ghetto Group received Shs5m which they used to rent 2 acres of land in Nakigo village, Nakigo Subcounty at Shs2 million for two years.
We used the balance to start farming in November, 2025.
Sempa Fahad, the Nakigo Ghetto chairperson thanked President Museveni for offering them a helping hand.
“Mr. President, we received the funds and we managed to put it into proper use.”
He said they are no longer idle ever since they received the money for the project.
“We are now reformed Ugandans, we no longer steal or beat up people. The project has transformed our lives. We sell our crops like cabbages in markets,” Mr. Sempa noted.
The Chairperson of Bugweri Ghetto Structure and Black Family Ghetto group in Igombe subcounty, Bugweri district, Najib Bulagala said his group of 36 members received Shs8 million from the district SACCO which they invested in poultry farming.
“We sold most of the chickens during the Eid period and currently we are left with over 200 chicks. What we do here, we rear chicks for one month before distributing them to our members who look after them from their homes,”he said.
He also noted that before the project,most ghetto youth were unemployed and lacked what to eat, but now the beneficiaries are able to have something in their pockets.
“We are now busy with looking after our poultry, we are not criminals anymore. We thank President Museveni for transforming our lives through this project. We, however, request President Museveni to give us more support like a poultry breeding machine,” he stated.
The Bugweri RDC, Magala Banuli said so far 961 ghetto youth have benefited from the project in the district.
“I thank H.E the President for this initiative of reaching out to our ghetto youth. Many ghetto youth were sidelined from the Parish Development Model (PDM) so this project was crucial in including them in the money economy. The project should not be a one-time off, it should be continuous so that more ghetto youth benefit,”he said.
With the funding, the ghetto youth have been able to invest in several businesses such as salons, poultry farming, fast foods selling, among others.
“These ghetto youth are now reformed, they are no longer criminals. They are also working with us to curb crimes in the ghettos and Bugweri at large,” Mr. Magala noted.
In Bugiri District, the Ghetto Pub which comprises 10 members invested the district SACCO funds of Shs100,000 in tree and fruit nursery bed.
They ply their business in Gamulunguka, Bugiri Municipality, Western Division.
Maganda Tifu, the manager of the group said he started the business alone but along the way, he recruited his colleagues to help him run the enterprise.
“If President Museveni adds us more money, we can do more. We have the knowledge to do this business and it thrives,”he said.
“We started with 3,000 tree seedlings, now we have 10,000 of them.”
Sserwanga Ahmed Kababa, the president of the Bugiri District Ghetto Structure invested in goats rearing business in Kamwokya, Bugiri Municipality.
He said he received Shs 5 million from the initiative which he used to buy 25 goats and now he has 42 of them.
“I thank President Museveni for the support, it has improved my household income,” he said.
Mr. Sserwanga added that the initiative has played a critical part in transforming the lives of the ghetto youth.
“Because of this project, the ghetto youth voted for President Museveni in the recent elections. It was a gesture of appreciation,” he said.
The ghetto youth in Namayingo District also benefited from the presidential initiative.
Makanika Fahadi alias Mark II, the president of the Namayingo Ghetto Structure said his GBN Ghetto group of 30 members in Buyinja village received Shs7.5 million from the Namayingo Ghetto SACCO.
“We invested the money in poultry and goats rearing. We now have 25 goats. We also managed to set up a motorcycle garage. All thanks to President Museveni who supported us through the ghetto empowerment program,” he said.
“We are now reformed Ugandans who are adding a brick to Uganda’s development.”
He however raised a concern over some of the bad elements in the ghetto who burnt down their motorcycle garage into ashes on the election day in January this year.
“These suspects were supporting the opposition, they requested us to join them but we refused because for us we are for President Museveni and the NRM. They got angry and burnt down our garage. What dismays me is that these culprits benefited from the ghetto project,” Mr. Makanika pointed out.
“We reported to the authorities but we were never helped. We request President Museveni to intervene in the matter.”
Another beneficiary group in Namayingo, headed by Barak Siraje said their group has 16 members and they received Sh2 million from the district SACCO.
“We received the money in November last year and invested in poultry farming. Now we have a total of 190 local chickens,” he said.
“We request for more support so that we get a permanent place because we are renting here.”
The Namayingo RDC, Nalongo Eva Kwesiga said 318 ghetto youth benefited from the initiative.
“I thank H.E the President for this project. These youth have utilised the money very well and the good news some of them have started to return the money since it’s a revolving fund,” she said.
“At first we had issues with these ghetto youth, they were causing us sleepless nights because they were involved in crimes but ever since this project came into place, everything is under control,” she added.
In Mayuge District, the president of the district ghetto SACCO, Naikoba Rehemah alias Lady Bird said she received Shs3 million which she used to open a bar business in Mayuge town council.
“We thank President Museveni for running for our rescue as ghetto youth. You understood that we need your support and you indeed fulfilled,” she said.
“We were in a terrible state and I would admit that we were criminals causing unrest in the district but due to your support, we are now transformed youth working towards improving our lives.”
Regarding the trade order, Ms. Naikoba said the authorities should reconsider their decision, noting that most of the beneficiaries who work on the roadside are being affected and business is not running as usual.
The Assistant RDC- Mayuge, Bazanya Ramathan said 704 ghetto youth have so far benefited from the project in the district.
“I request H.E the President to add more funds in the project so that it can reach out to more youth. This will help the government achieve the intended purpose,” he noted.
The coordinator of the Busoga Ghetto Structure, Mr. Abedi Balaamu thanked President Museveni for the support towards the ghetto youth in Busoga, explaining that many youth are now involved in the money economy and the crime rate has reduced in the sub-region.
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