Kampala, Uganda I HABARI DAILY I The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs. Janet Museveni, has emphasized the importance of leveraging the Parish Development Programme (PDM) to transform the lives of the local communities.
Her message, delivered during a week-long visit to Ntungamo to oversee the implementation of the PDM, underscores the need for beneficiaries to use the program to escape subsistence living and create sources of income to improve their livelihoods.
Mrs. Museveni urged all those who have received loans from the Parish Revolving Fund (PRF) to invest in enterprises that not only meet their families’ needs but also elevate their economic status. She emphasized that the PDM is an opportunity for families to move beyond mere consumption and make a meaningful impact on their economic well-being.
Addressing stakeholders from Ruhaama, Ruhaama East, and Ntungamo municipality constituencies, Mrs. Museveni encouraged the beneficiaries of the PRF loans to seize this opportunity to enhance their lives further. She reminded the people that her journey in this region began in 2006 when she was elected as the MP for Ruhaama. At that time, she observed that many families struggled to meet their basic requirements. Over her ten-year tenure, she initiated various projects aimed at raising living standards, and now the PDM funds offer a chance to build upon those efforts.
The PDM program, as Mrs. Museveni highlighted, targets those in the 39% bracket of the population who have never benefited from previous government programs and who are not yet self-sufficient enough to move beyond subsistence agriculture. The goal is to provide these families with an opportunity to generate income and achieve financial stability through the PDM.
The First Lady also addressed issues raised by the beneficiaries, such as extortion by some leaders to include them on the list, well-off individuals accessing loans intended for the less fortunate, and concerns about bank charges reducing the loan amounts. She assured the beneficiaries that the remaining minimal balances in some personal accounts are intended for them to start saving.
Mrs. Museveni also requested the district leadership to continue monitoring the PDM/PRF program, particularly cases with challenges. These challenges include the extortion of beneficiaries and the distribution of funds not adhering to the specified percentages for different categories of beneficiaries.
Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi, who was in attendance, emphasized that each beneficiary should receive the full amount of 1 million Ugandan shillings, as directed by the President. He also expressed the government’s intention to cover the initial deposit of PDM SACCOS in the banks to prevent it from affecting the 1 million shillings each beneficiary should receive.
The Minister stressed the need for proper utilization of the funds and encouraged the beneficiaries to view the 1 million shillings as a seed to invest rather than for immediate consumption. He called on extension workers to provide training to PDM beneficiaries in enterprise development and management.
Magyezi also expressed optimism that, with the government’s commitment and the hard work of the people of Ntungamo, the district will become a model for PDM implementation in the country.
The First Lady’s visit to Ntungamo and her call for prosperity through the PDM program demonstrate the government’s dedication to improving the lives of Ugandans by providing opportunities for economic growth and self-sufficiency at the grassroots level.
The PDM program has the potential to uplift communities, and with the right support and commitment, Ntungamo district may indeed serve as a beacon of success for this transformative initiative
