By Dismus Buregyeya

A total of 131 orphans have graduated after a four-year certificate course in organic farming and animal husbandry under the Kitovu Mobile Orphan Home Care Programme.

About 2,200 orphans and needy children affected by HIV/AIDS have graduated in farming skills since the project, which is sponsored by Germany, started in Masaka, Ssembabule, Rakai and Lyantonde districts, programme coordinator Stephen Malinzi said.

However, the programme director, Robina Ssentongo, expressed disappointment that Masaka district had not supported the graduates as promised.

“We are disappointed by Masaka district council for failing to support our orphans who have graduated. All they need is to enroll them in development programmes,” she said.

Ssentongo said the organisation had put the graduates into groups under their micro-finance scheme with a start-up capital of sh10m.

She noted that food security had improved in the areas where the graduates have been established.

Commenting on the challenges of the project, Ssentongo said many students, especially girls, drop out of the programme for being lured into marriages.

She added that the programme was also facing reduced donor funding. “We are facing financial shortages because the donors are cutting their budgetary allocations yet we need money to buy drugs for the sick and funds for education and poverty eradication programmes. We needy back up from the districts where we operate,” she said.

The chairman of Ndagwe sub-county, Victor Muliika, promised to give the graduates priority under the Prosperity-for-All programme.

At the graduation ceremony, which was held on Saturday at Namabale centre in Ndagwe sub-county, Lwengo district, the graduands received goats and chicken as gifts.