Former street children graduate in vocational training skills

GULU – A total of 35 former street children picked from the streets of Gulu City have graduated in various vocational training skills.

The two-year course was sponsored by Favour of God Ministries, a faith-based organization working in the greater northern Uganda and South Sudan.

Mike Sabiiti, the Head of Department of GIFT, the project under which the former street youths were trained in the various vocational training skills says, most times the society castigates the street children for their behaviors and illegal practices. Sabiiti says, the youths did not choose to end up on the streets but because of life’s challenge and situations.

Sabiiti blames the society for the unending experiences of street children because most of them are reluctant to share the little they have.

According to Sabiiti, besides the vocational training skills which include; motor vehicle mechanics, tailoring and designing, hair dressing, fisheries, the youths were also taken through the Bible, daily fellowships, counselling among others to ensure a complete transformation.

Miriam Ogena, the Human Resource Manager, Favour of God Ministries urged the graduands to concentrate, practice and save money from the knowledge and skills they have attained. They should also focus on building their faith and not go into the temptation of the worldly joys.

Terry Goodman, the Deputy Director, Favour of God Ministries says, the graduands have the choice to chose evil or good. Love and discipline are transformational skills but its only God who transformed them.

Phillip Oketkeny, a Board Member and Ministry Counselor, Favour of God Ministries says, the graduands have been thoroughly healed and transformed, he says they will be key in social transformation and sustainability which is a mission of the Ministry.

Oketkeny says, the spiritual and physical transformation the graduands have attained should manifest in the entire community that they will go into.

Testimony

Silindi Aber Ruth, a graduand says, she had lost hope in education and life in general.

She further says, before joining Favour of God Ministry, she was living in a home where orphans were not valued and supported which forced her to elope with a man at a young age. She was mistreated, beaten for asking even for food to eat.

She was abandoned and when she attempted to find solution by going to her uncle who instead asked for sex before helping her.

According to Aber, she at some point wanted to kill her two children so she can hustle for herself.

She was forced to the street, got employed in a bar where she was introduced to an old woman who introduced her to prostitution and conning money from rich men using charms.

She was taught forgiveness for her relatives and certain of a future in tailoring having learnt it for two years.

Kenneth Akena, a graduand in fisheries says he joined the street aged 12 years because his uncle and other relatives disowned him, asking him to look for his family. Currently he is 31 years old.

Akena recalls having eaten chicken intestines to live, collecting scraps before joining drug abusers and eventually becoming a thug.

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“At some point, when we went to steal, all my colleagues ran away and I was arrested and beaten by mob. He only opted out of stealing and joined scrap collecting, but this time in Kampala because there are other older people on the streets in the city.”

Denis Odongpiny, the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Gulu urged the graduands to be honest, hardworking and determined to succeed as they enter the job world.

Odongpiny says, most times after graduating, most graduands tend to relax and begin complaining of lack of work without looking for work they studied.

“The reason why the Acholi sub-region was recently ranked the poorest is because most of our youths are lazy yet they make unnecessary demands, less we change that, we will not be able to fight poverty,” Odongpiny says.

The training graduands underwent an examination by the Directorate of Industrial Training.

Already, 200 new street children have been enrolled for the same program under Favour of God Ministries.

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More than 31m people likely to face food insecurity and hunger in East Africa

KAMPALA – An estimated 31.4 million people in the Eastern Africa are likely to face acute food insecurity and hunger unless states take appropriate response mechanisms.

A regional research report by the Inter-governmental Authority on Development [IGAD] and Food Security Information Network [FSIN] says that the number of people likely to face food insecurity in the region has jumped from 28.8 million in 2018 to 31.4 million in a period of two years.

Countries to be severely affected include; Sudan with 9.6 million people already on the verge hunger, Ethiopia accommodating at least 8.6 million people gravely threatened, and South Sudan has about 6.5 million people threatened.

Others with eminent threats are; Eritrea, Kenya and Somalia. The regional bloc of IGAD include other members like Uganda and Djibouti.

The report largely blames this trajectory to climatic changes, and conflicts in the region.

Ethiopia has had protracted running battles and tribal unrest that have gravely affected agricultural production and farming.

South Sudan has been entangled in a civil conflict causing dire humanitarian need for regional and global intervention. This has not allowed the local population the appropriate environment for agricultural production.

Uganda is home to more than 1 million refugees and internally displaced persons; all are depending on humanitarian aid by the United Nations.

The report states that short term humanitarian remedies to the food insecurity situation are not sustainable, but a need to initiate a total paradigm shift to long term interventions with coherent and well-coordinated investments targeting the root cause of the food crisis in the region is required.

Commenting on the report, the Executive Secretary for IGAD, Worknenh Geneyehu says, “All key players should work together in the spirit of brotherhood to build efficient, inclusive, and resilient food systems to mitigate effects of drought, but also to fend off possibilities of conflict as well as supporting durable peace in the region.”

The report mentions that countries know the weather patterns in the region, and should not wait for drought to turn into famine, but always work to avoid families sleeping hungry.

The report says at least an estimated 3.5 million children under 5 years were affected by severe food insecurity causing malnutrition and other dire effects in 2020. Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan had the biggest of numbers with majority of the children with extremely weak immune systems to resist diseases, causing dire susceptibility to delays in development, growth and eventually death.

Additionally, at least 14.1million children across all the six IGAD states were stunted with Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda having the majority of this category.

David Phiri, the Regional Coordinator for Food and Agricultural Organization for Eastern Africa challenged governments to develop collective approaches to support communities improve their food and nutrition security as well as preventing them from falling into hunger.

“We need to support communities to build resilient and sustainable agro-food systems, improve extension services, and market access as well as timely anticipatory and emergency humanitarian response to crises,” he adds.

The IGAD block formulated a joint weather monitoring initiative that produces all time reliable weather prediction and reports to guide response and collective action.

The region is home to at least 4.2 million refugees and asylum seekers, while at least 9.5 million people are kept in Internally Displaced People’s Camps in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia.

The report recommends that IGAD member states take a collective approach in providing adequate life-saving food aid, livelihood and nutrition support to populations under eminent threat, strengthening social protection, providing quality curative nutrition and scaling up monitoring mechanisms on food security and nutrition.

He also recommends strengthened peace building initiatives like social cohesion which would stem to solve the root cause of conflicts and insecurity in the block.

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Farmers want government to dig trenches around villages neighboring Murchison Falls National Park

MASINDI – Farmers neighboring Murchison falls national park in Kiruli sub-county in Masindi district want the government to dig trenches around the villages adjacent to the park to deter elephants from destroying their crops.

They made the call during a meeting between the State Minister for Tourism and Antiquities, Martin Bahinduka Mugarra, the area Member of Parliament, Aled Ronald Akugizibwe, the district leaders and residents of Kitengule village in Kiruli sub-county.

The meeting followed several complaints by the residents over the increasing loitering of stray elephants from the park.

For many years, residents of five villages; Bagidadi, Kitengule, Ipedi, Kimina and Nyakarongo which are bordering Murchison falls national park have been complaining over the increasing number of elephants that cross from the park and destroy their crops.

“Elephants have brought food insecurity and also caused insecurity in the area. People have resorted to stealing food. Last season, we lost completely because elephants would come in a herds of 30 to 50 elephants,” Deo Opusi said.

Opusi added that the elephants come along with black flies which are dangerous to them, adding that apparently, they can no longer rare pigs due to black flies.

“Whenever pigs are bitten by these black flies they die. We are are always worried,” he added.

He further added that as a community adjacent to the park they no longer benefit from the money sent to the district, noting that instead the money is benefiting less affected communities.

Monica Bagonza, a resident of Nyakarongo village explained that the women are the most affected.

“We get income from farming but currently we are harvesting nothing due to the elephants. Even looking after our families is becoming a challenge. An immediate solution must be found or else we are going to die a miserable way,” said Bagonza.

Musa Bigabwa, a resident of Nyakarongo village asked the Minister to expeditiously handle the issue of putting up an electric wire or a trench along the villages neighboring the park like the way it was done in Kiryandongo district.

“We also want to be compensated for the losses we have incurred. We have lost lives in the process of chasing away the elephants from our gardens. Whenever we lose properties or lives, we write to the relevant offices in vain. For us we shall suffer until when?” Bigabwa asked.

Julius Wabyoona, a resident of Kitengule village explained that some people have been imprisoned for resorting to cutting trees to make charcoal in the park.

“Those people should be pardoned. We need an affirmative action as people of Kiruli Sub County, because what we are going through is so challenging. We have failed to develop ourselves due to these elephants. If a trench can’t be put there, at least an electric wire should be put in place. If nothing is done this situation is likely to get out of hand,” said Wabyoona.

Alex Musumali, the Vice Chairperson LC III, Kiruli Sub County faulted the wardens for not helping them saying that whenever they, they don’t respond in time.

“Sometimes they tell us they have no fuel and yet crops are being destroyed. These people have been good enough. They don’t kill these animals but if the status quo is maintained something bad may happen. What we want is a lasting solution because we have been patient enough,” said Musumali.

Cosmas Byaruhanga, the Masindi district LCV Chairperson, told the Minister that they have been engaging the affected communities to harmoniously stay with the wild animals from the park as government looks for a lasting solution.

“We have written to the relevant offices as far as getting a solution is concerned. My prayer is this meeting yields fruits because people have become poor and poorer due to these elephants. Some of them are grappling with loans in banks and the rate of crime is increasing,” said Byaruhanga.

Byaruhanga proposed that they use the local revenue they get from Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) to put up a trench.

But in his response Minister Mugarra said, the immediate solution government is going to do is putting up a trench along the villages bordering the park, adding that the money which comes to the district shouldn’t be used because government is going to look for money to establish a trench.

“We are looking at putting a trench as one way of deterring the loitering elephants from going to people’s gardens. I also promise to engage the Ministry of disaster preparedness to have an immediate relief for the affected communities,” he said.

He also explained that government is developing modalities of having a compensation fund for the people in case their crops are affected and also in case lives were lost.

“We expect it to start by January next year. Every money collected, 2 percent of it will go to the compensation fund,” Mugarra noted.

He also warned the district authorities not to divert the money of the trench.

“Give this money to the community members to develop themselves. Don’t divert it. Government is going to put a trench using another money,” explained Mugarra.

Edison Nuwamanya, the Chief Warden, Murchison falls national park re-echoed the minister’s promise of putting the trench saying, they are going to do as it was done in Kiryandongo district.

“Now all elephants come to Masindi because they can no longer cross to Kiryandongo. I am also going to ensure that my rangers are deployed here 24 hrs but not to just come. When we are doing recruitment, we shall ensure that the neighbouring communities are given priority as the minister has asked,” Nuwamanya explained.

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Hoima Sugar Company Limited compensates four families

KIKUUBE – Hoima Sugar Company Limited (HSCL), an Indian owned company growing sugarcane and producing sugar in Kikuube district has compensated families whose relatives died in road and factory accidents.

The company compensated four families with Shs 32 million. Each family received Shs 8 million at a function held at Kikuube district Resident District Commissioner (RDC’s) office.

The compensation was made after Kikuube district Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Amlan Tumusiime, intervened after the affected families petitioned.

The compensated families include the family of late Joseph Senyojjo of Ruhunga village in Buhimba sub-county Kikuube district who died on 5th February 2021 after falling down from the building which he was constructing at the factory and Walter Kwikiriza a resident Ruhunga kikiimizi who died on 21st July,2021 this year after he was knocked by a company truck which was carrying sugarcanes heading to the factory.

Others are John Bosco Akampurira, a welder from Kanjonga village in Kiziranfumbi sub-county, Kikuube district who died on 25th July, 2021, after he fell down from the tank while he was welding and Justin Ogen from Lenju village in Mbombo sub-county, Kigorobya constituency, Hoima district who died on 27th July,2021 after he was crushed by sugar machine.

Speaking during the handover of the compensation to the families, RDC Tumusime commended the company for responding to his advice adding that the compensation of the family had some challenges since most of the victims were attached to the subcontractors.

Tumusiime however, challenged Hoima Sugar Company management to put in place measures to end the increasing accidents inside and outside the factory.

He blamed the accidents in the factory on lack of safety and health protective gears and grievance handling by the truck drivers.

He noted that though the district needs the company because it provides jobs and other development, the lives of people surrounding the company and employees must be protected.

Tumusiime called for sensitization of the drivers and public on traffic regulations to avoid accidents that have claimed the lives of several people.

According to him, sensitization will help people to change their behaviors on roads adding this will reduce accidents in the future.

“Please Hoima Sugar Company, try by all means to see that you reduce accidents both in factory and the road, we have had several discussions and I think that if you implement some of the things we discussed, we shall be helped,” RDC Tumusiime demanded

Mpuga Anther Kikuube district, Labor Officer cautioned the families of the deceased against misusing the compensation money and challenged them to use the money to look after the orphans and the windows.

He warned them against using the money on their personal interests and advised them to invest the money, to be able to educate the orphans in future.

Ramesh Rajagopah, the Agricultural Manager HSCL, regretted the incidents adding that the company has already formed a health and safety committee to help in enforcing the safety of the employees at the company.

He added that the company has also put in place strict measures to the sub-contractors to ensure that all the sub-contractors’ employees get insured.

He noted that this will in future address the challenge of compensation in case of accidents.

He also promised that the company will provide the health and safety protective gears as one of measures to avoid accidents at the factory.

The widow of Akampurira, Regina Ahaisibwe commended the RDC for fighting for them to get the compensation adding that the factory official had failed to complete them claiming that the deceased was not their employee since he was working for the subcontractor.

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World Bank builds a Shs2 billion school in Otuke

OTUKE – The World Bank has constructed classrooms, staff accommodation and an internet communication technology block at Ogor Seed Secondary School in Otuke district to ease access to higher education and reduce dropout rates.

The area (Ogor sub-county) is located 20 kilometers away from Otuke town and access to secondary education was a burden to parents.

According to the local leadership, children would stop at primary seven and drop out because of poverty, long distance and negative attitude towards education. The area has two primary schools, Ogweno and Atanggwata Primary Schools.

“This area is isolated and has no secondary school,” says Qunto Ojok, a former LC5 Councilor who represented the sub-county to the district.

“The long distance to Orum S.S, abject poverty and negative attitude towards the education of the girl child hindered most parents from sending their children to join secondary level,” he adds.

After sensing danger, the community started the school in 2012 with 68 students.

Christine Adongo, the school’s Headteacher joined the school after graduating with a bachelors degree in education in 2013 as a volunteer.

“My friends disagreed with me but I told them I was molded to work in a harsh environment like Ogor,” she adds.

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“When I joined, my parents started giving me a monthly wage of Shs 50, 000 and was given accommodation in a small hut within Ogweno,” she recalls. Two years later she was appointed by the district to caretake the school.

“The school had infrastructures and in 2019, I requested the government to put up structures since students’ enrolment had increased to 250,” she explained.

“There were no classrooms and staff accommodation but the 68 students were studying in a classroom offered by Ogweno Primary School,” says Adongo.

However, under the World Bank’s project of intergovernmental fiscal transfer, they constructed three classroom blocks, science laboratory, three twin houses, two VIP stances of VIP latrines, library and an ICT block worth Shs 2b.

The District Education Officer (DEO), Qunito Odongo said the school has the best structures and with time it will overtake Adwari Secondary School.

He advises the community to embrace development saying the district was still lagging behind in performance both primary and secondary.

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100 women acquire hands-on skills in bakery

BUNYANGABU – Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) in partnership with Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) have trained 100 women on bakery and mindset change in Bunyangabu district.

UWEP National Coordinator, Winfred Matsiko said, skilling and mindset change in women will empower them to fight poverty.

“The government’s intention is to eradicate poverty by economically empowering women. When a woman attains skills training and is economically empowered, nothing can stop her from getting out of poverty,” Matsiko said.

She said UWEP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Uganda Industrial Research Institute to train women groups in different skills like bakery, and mindset change, among others.

In Bunyangabu district, 100 women from 20 groups were given hands on skills in bakery and mindset change.

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The Communications and Marketing Manager, at Uganda Industrial Research Institute, Denis Dokoria said, they believe that people remain in a vicious circle of poverty because of limited skills.

“We are coming out to give skills to women groups like what we have done now because skilling is the way to go. We are here for mindset change and bakery, next time we shall train them in a different thing,” he said.

Dokoria urged them to put in practice what they learnt and teach their colleagues who didn’t get an opportunity to be part of the 100 participants.

He however, appealed to women to use the exact recipe that was given to them in order to get quality results.

“The critical thing with skills is quality. Nobody will buy your products if they are not of good quality,” he said.

The UWEP Regional Coordinator, Herbert Tuhumwire, encouraged women to get involved in value addition.

“I have realized that there are very few people who are involved in value addition. Let’s have at least four groups in making wine, four groups making crisps, four groups venturing in mushrooms among others,” Tuhumwire said.

The Bunyangabu district Chairperson LCV, James Ategeka Mugarama encouraged women groups to utilize the money they receive from UWEP very well and refund it for others to benefit.

He commended women groups which were doing well and encouraged them to utilize the skills they got to get out of poverty.

Annet Nyakana, one of the women who were trained in mindset change said the training opened their eyes and will help them in ensuring that their projects succeed.

“We learnt how to use our whole body to ensure our businesses grow. We were also taught how to keep records which was among the challenges we have been facing in our groups,” she said.

She requested her fellow women to practice what they learnt and teach other group members who didn’t attend the training.

Beatrice Mwesige, one of the participants who attended bakery lessons said it was a great opportunity to learn by doing.

“We have been lacking such trainings because sometimes we want to learn something but money hinders us because nobody is willing to teach you for free but since we have got such an opportunity, we shall also teach our colleagues,” she said.

Mwesige however noted that the issue of capital remains the biggest challenge now because materials to use like an oven and mixer are very expensive.

Background

The Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) is an initiative of the government of Uganda, that is aimed at improving access to financial services for women and equipping them with skills for enterprise growth, value addition and marketing of their products and services.

UWEP, implemented as a rolling programme under the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD), is intended to empower Ugandan women for economic development.

The Programme is designed to address the challenges women face in undertaking economically viable enterprises including the limited access to affordable credit, limited technical knowledge and skills for business development, limited access to markets as well as information regarding business opportunities.

The programme is envisaged to increase participation of women in business development, increase their incomes, livelihood security and overall quality of life.

The overall goal of the programme is to empower Ugandan women to improve their income levels and their contribution to economic development.

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Kikuube district gets Service Commission after waiting for two years

KIKUUBE – Kikuube district local government has finally received a District Service Commission (DSC) after struggling for two years to recruit public servants.

This was after the district council appointed five nominees whose names were submitted to the Ministry of Public Service, after which only four were approved.

The successful members of the commission include; the committee Chairperson Rurihona Anakereti, Dan Matovu Atuhura, Evans Kasenene and Edward Mwesigwa Barigonzaki as members.

The four on Wednesday afternoon, took oath of office at a function presided over by the Hoima Grade 1 Magistrate, Winne Nankya Jatiko.

In 2019, the Kikuube interim district council entered an agreement with Kibaale district council to use the Kibaale district Service Commission to recruit staff.

However, in 2020, the Kikuube district Executive led by Francis Kazini suspended the services of Kibaale district Service Commission on allegations of corruption and biasness.

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This saw the district returning Shs 500 million to the national treasury as unspent at the end of the 2020/2021 financial year and left several departments with inadequate staff following the suspension of recruitment as they waited for substantive service commission.

Speaking during the swearing-in function held at Kikuube district headquarters, the technical staff and political leaders all focused their speeches on the issue of integrity.

Andrew Milton, the Kikuube district Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) urged the commission to be patriotic and transparent as they carry out their duties to ensure that the district produces quality civil servants.

He noted that most people in the country have lost trust in the District Service Commission because of the increasing acts of selling jobs adding that this act is dangerous because it kills service delivery.

“You must do your work independently without influence peddling in order for you to deliver, I am here to implement the government policy and for me to achieve that, it is you people to give competent staff who are supposed to turn around and transform this district, so if you forward wrong staff, then I will not do much and the council will not do much,” he warned.

Amlan Tumusime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) explained that the District Service Commission is sensitive because it is the basis of service delivery.

He asked the service commission to avoid corruption tendencies because it affects development and is a source of insecurity.

He adds that as a new district, they need to be different from their neighboring districts whose service commissions are being accused of selling jobs.

“We expect you to offer jobs to our people on merit and I want to ask you to stick to the oath that you have made today keeping in mind that when you violate it ,you will be held responsible,” he said adding that recruiting after receiving money from the applicant can result to recruitment of incompetent staff.

Peter Banura, the Kikuube LCV Chairman expressed excitement about the commission adding that the district is going to start recruiting staff starting with parish chiefs to end the challenge of staffing gaps in different departments.

He also asked the commission to do their best to avoid shaming the image of the district adding that they need the district to be a role model and challenged the members to be fair, God fearing, trustworthy and transparent as they serve the district.

The Chairman of the Service Commission, Rurihona Anakereti commended the district council for trusting them with the office and promised that the commission will be transparent and follow guidelines as they carry out their duties to ensure the development of the district.

He said that corruption will not be tolerated during their tenure and challenged the public with qualifications to get prepared to apply for the available opportunities.

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Cooperatives given up to November to hold Covid-19 delayed AGMs

UGANDA – The Registrar of Cooperative Societies in Uganda has set 31st December 2021 as the deadline for all cooperatives to have their Annual General Meetings (AGMs).

The directive comes at the heels of realization of a legal dilemma likely to come up, if cooperatives do not adhere to the legal requirement of holding Annual General Meetings.

In a letter to all the cooperatives, the Registrar of Cooperatives in the Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives, Robert Bariyo Barigye says, all cooperative societies with membership of up to 200 delegates should hold AGMs in strict observance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in consultation with the District Covid-19 Task forces, before November 30th 2021.

Barigye also directed that cooperative societies with membership beyond 200 should in consultation with the Covid Task forces endeavor to improvise and organize AGMs in a phased manner before the deadline of December 31 2021.

Speaking to theCooperator on phone, Barigye says, “Cooperatives have not sat for two consecutive financial years, so with the partial lifting of the lock down, they could use this window to hold their AGM.”

The directive follows President Museveni’s State of the Nation Address easing pressure on congregations with a limited number of 200 persons in strict observance of SOPs and consultation with District Task Forces.

“It is apparent that cooperative societies have not held their AGMs due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation, and the resultant lock-down since March 20th 2020,” The letter dated 23rd September 2021 reads in part.

The Constitution requires registered cooperative societies to hold AGMs not later than three months after the expiry of the financial year.

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The letter was sent to all chairpersons of cooperative societies countrywide and copied to District Commercial Officers to enable them facilitate and guide the same.

The AGM is the supreme body in which several critical decisions are taken including; reviewing audited books of accounts, election of new office bearers, presenting plans to members among others items.

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Farm credit giving Omoro and Amuru women farmers a lifeline

OMORO – Dero-she capital, a local community-based organization (CBO) is helping more than 170 rural women in Amuru and Omoro districts to profitably engage in agriculture by extending farm credit to them.

Instead of cash, the organization gives farmers credit in form of services like ploughing and inputs or farm implements like seeds and hand hoes.

Innocent Piloya, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dero-she capital told theCooperator that most times, rural women have agribusiness ideas but lack support to implement them.

“What we do is lend them support like hire a tractor to plough land for them, give them seeds and hand hoes to engage in farming. We also help them look for market for the crops. We then recover the money after they have sold off their harvest,” Piloya said.

“Our organization does not give actual credit to the farmers because the money can end up being diverted elsewhere once received. Much as a farmer may want a hoe or seeds, they might have more urgent needs like transport or treatment so they could end up using the money for a different purpose,” she explained.

Piloya explained further that, before the farm credit is extended to the women, they are trained on good agronomic practices and business skills to help them transform from subsistence to commercial farming before they are given the farm credit.

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“We want the women to sustain their households by being food secure and also be able to earn an income to cater for other basic needs like medical care and school fees among others,” she said.

Piloya said they are targeting to reach 10,000 farmers in the next five years and that the long-term goal is to see more children especially girls enrolled in school.

“Research has shown that rural families who can’t afford food will focus on getting food as a priority and neglect education, while families that have food to last a whole year, have their children attending school,” she explained.

Grace Obol, a resident of Barogal village, Koro sub-county in Omoro district one of the beneficiaries says, “Dero-she capital was able to plough two acres of land on which I planted soya beans. The proceeds helped me to pay school fees for my children. In the past, I was using less land because of relying on hand hoes,” she said.

Obol says that unlike financial institutions that demand for collateral before being given a loan, Dero-she capital only asked her to contribute 50% of what was needed such as labor to benefit from the farm credit.

“Banks want collateral yet the land I use for farming is customarily owned. Clan leaders do not allow us women to use the land as collateral because they fear that the bank can take it away in case we default on the loan,” Obol said.

Dero-she capital also gave her quality seeds and trained her to plant soya beans in lines instead of broadcasting.

Obol has now urged the government to include support of oxen and ox-ploughs to farmers in their livelihood programs like Operation Wealth Creation (OWC).

Doreen Ajok, another farmer in Koro sub-county, Omoro district said apart from the quality seeds, she was also trained by Dero-she capital on how to make organic chemicals.

“I don’t have to buy pesticides because I can now make organic chemicals from locally available plants. They also trained us on how to make organic manure,” she said.

Ajok is however disappointed that the prices for soya beans dropped drastically last year making her to earn much less than she expected.

“I was expecting to earn at least Shs 2500 per kilogram of soya beans but I ended up selling each kilogram at Shs 900,” said Ajok who harvested 2 bags of soya beans.

However, Dero-she capital says, they are now working to build a store to bulk the produce so that farmers sell at better prices.

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