RWAMPARA – State Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo has awarded cash bonuses to the best performing Sacco’s in Rwampara District as a way of motivating them to work even much better.
Kasolo who is monitoring Sacco’s under the Emyooga program in Ankole-sub region made gave the money at a function that was held at Nyihanga Town Council in Rwampara County.
He said the move was to empower and encourage them to work even much harder in the fight against poverty in their region.
Among the Sacco’s that benefited were the Rwampara County Youth Sacco that he gave Shs5 million and other Sacco’s of women entrepreneurs , market vendors, produce dealers, saloon operators and local leaders who he gave Shs2million each to boost their activities.
“You have been looking for rent. You can now go and start from there. Is president Museveni bad,”Kasolo asked the people upon handing over the money.”
Much as statistics indicate that Rwampara hasn’t saved well under the Emyooga program, Kasolo said he won’t pass judgement yet.
“You are my people. Your leaders are my friends and we need to improve but I am giving you more time to do this,” Kasolo said.
Emmy Kateera, the The Rwampara Resident District Commissioner (RDC) told the minister that popularizing the Emyooga program wasn’t easy in the start because it involved the concept of ‘mind change.’
She said the saving culture has been bad among her people and they are learning slowly but surely about the importance of saving.
Since Rwampara is only two years old, having been carved out of Mbarara in 2019, Kateera said Emyooga beneficiaries have punched above their weight.
“Rwampara is a hard to reach area but when you look at how we have performed, we are not the worst and we are going to improve,” Kateera said.
Rwampara woman MP Molly Asiimwe also praised the minister of state for Microfinance Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo for giving Rwampara district what she termed as ‘special attention.’
Asiimwe said Rwampara had for long been forgotten since it was surrounded by bigger districts.
“We are sandwiched between Mbarara which is big, Sheema which is big, Ruhaama which is big and Isingiro which is big. We were like malnourished babies but now we are injecting the baby with nutritious foods and Eminem is the food,” Asiimwe said.
Juliet Tukwasibwe, a nurse in Rwampara County who is also an entrepreneur, is an active member of Rwampara County Women Entrepreneur Sacco.
She says when her Sacco got Shs 30 million from Emyooga program last year, she got a loan of Shs 500, 000 which she used to buy four beehives.
With the seed capital, Tukwasibwe hopes to become a big time bee farmer.
Rwampara East County is largely a rural area sandwiched by hills. The people here mainly are farmers who grow bananas and rear goats.
