The NRM Deputy Secretary General, Rt Hon Rose Namayanja Nsereko, has urged leaders in Nakaseke to emulate their counterparts in Mubende Municipality by actively supporting, monitoring and mentoring Parish Development Model (PDM) SACCOs to ensure they benefit communities.
Namayanja made the call on Thursday while leading 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 centres in Mubende Municipality.
The team visited Mijunwa West Parish PDM SACCO, where they assessed its organisation, growth and impact on members.
The SACCO has received Shs407 million in government funding, of which Shs307 million has already been disbursed to beneficiaries. Loan recovery is currently underway.
The SACCO leadership has set a target of increasing its capital to Shs2.5 billion within five years through continued government funding, increased membership and effective loan recovery.
The delegation also visited practical training centres, including the farm of Ms Jane Namukwaya in Mijunwa Village, where she showcased several enterprises and demonstrated modern farming practices.
Namukwaya demonstrated how she uses bottle irrigation to protect her coffee plantation from the effects of drought.
She said she received Shs1 million through the PDM programme, which she used to purchase and plant coffee seedlings. The investment has since started generating returns, which she has reinvested into the enterprise.
The Mayor of Mubende Municipality, Eng Innocent Ssekiziyivu, told the delegation that the success of PDM SACCOs in the municipality was partly attributed to the active involvement of local leaders in monitoring, guiding and mentoring the groups.
“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,” Ssekiziyivu said.
Namayanja said she was impressed by the strong involvement of Mubende leaders in the management and growth of PDM SACCOs, saying their hands-on approach had contributed to the success of the programme.
She also commended the SACCO leadership for promoting transparency, proper record-keeping, accountability and a growth-oriented approach.
Beyond providing affordable credit, Mijunwa West PDM SACCO also helps members access agricultural inputs at discounted prices, enabling them to strengthen their enterprises and increase household incomes.
Namayanja described the benchmarking tour as an opportunity for leaders to exchange knowledge and learn practical approaches to improving the implementation of PDM.
“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,” she said.
She urged the Nakaseke leaders to apply the lessons learnt during the tour to strengthen PDM SACCOs in their communities.
Ms Namayanja also called on NRM leaders to invest in PDM SACCOs by buying shares and actively participating in their activities.
“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,” she said.
