The Deputy Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Rose Namayanja Nsereko, has urged leaders in Nakaseke to emulate their counterparts in Mubende Municipality by actively supporting the growth and success of Parish Development Model SACCOs.
Namayanja made the call on Thursday when she led a team of 90 PDM SACCO leaders, extension workers and NRM leaders from Nakaseke South Constituency on a benchmarking tour of PDM SACCOs and Practical Training Centers in Mubende Municipality .
During the tour, the team visited Mijunwa West Parish PDM SACCO, where they witnessed firsthand the organisation, growth and impact of the SACCO on its members.
The SACCO has so far received Shs407 million in funding, of which Shs307 million has already been disbursed to beneficiaries. Loan recovery is also underway.
The SACCO has set an ambitious target of growing its capital to Shs2.5 billion over the next five years through continued government funding, increased membership and effective loan recovery.
The team also visited practical training centres, including the farm of Jane Namukwaya, a resident of Mijunwa Village, who showcased several enterprises and demonstrated how she had embraced modern farming practices.
Namukwaya demonstrated how she used bottle irrigation, among other methods, to protect her coffee plantation from the effects of drought.
She said she received Shs1 million through the programme, which she used to purchase and plant coffee seedlings. The investment has since started generating returns, which she has reinvested into the enterprise.
Practical Training Centres of this nature provide farmers with hands-on skills, enterprise knowledge and practical tools that can promote mindset change and translate knowledge into tangible economic progress.
During the visit, the Mayor of Mubende Municipality, Engineer Innocent Ssekiziyivu, told the team that the success of the PDM SACCOs was partly attributed to the active participation of local leaders in monitoring, guidance and mentorship.
“Now that you have seen and been impressed by what you have seen, I urge you to go and implement the good practices in your areas,” Mayor Ssekiziyivu said.
Namayanja said she was impressed by the strong involvement of Mubende Municipality leaders in monitoring, guiding and mentoring PDM SACCOs.
She noted that their commitment and hands-on support had played a significant role in enabling the SACCOs to grow and succeed.
She also applauded the SACCO leadership for promoting transparency, proper record-keeping, accountability and a strong growth mindset.
Beyond providing affordable credit, the Mijunwa West PDM SACCO is also helping members access agricultural inputs at discounted prices, further strengthening their enterprises and improving their ability to generate income.
“The tour was an enriching experience, offering an excellent opportunity to share knowledge, learn from best practices and strengthen our collective efforts towards sustainable community development,” Namayanja said.
She encouraged the leaders from Nakaseke to embrace and implement the lessons they had gained from the benchmarking tour as they work to strengthen and grow their PDM SACCOs.
“I also encourage NRM leaders to buy shares in PDM SACCOs and participate—not necessarily to target the Shs1 million, but to monitor implementation, provide leadership, mobilise communities and motivate more people to join and benefit from the SACCOs,” Namayanja said.
The benchmarking tour was organised by the Rose Namayanja Foundation and the Uganda Development Fund.
