Rev. Fr. Paul Godfrey Lubega Kasozi is the parish priest at Nyenga parish, Buikwe district.

He is also a philanthropist, chef and businessman. He goes out of his way to uplift families from poverty.

The 60-year-old operates Nurture care, a foods processing company.

After ordination in 1990, Fr. Lubega was posted at Katikamu parish in Bulemeezi and after a few years, he moved to Nswanjere seminary, Goli and Namagunga parish in Mukono district in 1998.

Fr. Lubega dries the food before processing.

At Namagunga, he worked as a diocese treasurer and consequently did a lot of philanthropy work.

For example, he mobilized congregants to build over 40 decent homes for less privileged families.  

He also founded St. Joseph SSS Namagunga to offer quality education to residents who couldn’t afford the prestigious Mt. St. Marys SSS Namagunga.

According to Fr. Lubega, before the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school had over 1,500 students.

In 2005, he was transferred from Namagunga to Bukerere parish in Mukono district. He handed over the school to the diocese.

Venturing into food business

In 2008, Lubega was posted to Nyenga parish. He would visit his congregates to find out how they were surviving. He discovered that many families needed help.

Lubega decided to empower them through nutrition and skills training.

Trainees learning to prepare fruits.

He also realized that families were wasting food partly because it wasn’t cooked well.

“I am passionate about preparing tasty food. I have been to Norway twice to teach people to cook delicious food,” he says.

He has over the years morphed into a chef and started a catering business.

Fr. Lubega has been perfecting his chef skills using newspaper articles, YouTube, and TV programs.

“I started training women and youths to prepare tasty food and to recycle leftovers,” he shares.

In 2010, he founded Nurture Centre Nyenga, a foods processing factory.

He makes instant porridge, garlic, beans and onion powder, sauce mix, groundnuts paste, daddies, cookies, cakes, and bread under the brand; Top best foods.

The company is worth sh300m. He employs 10 people including managers, cooks, and cleaners.

He also trains youths and women to make those foods. Some have gone ahead to start their own businesses from home.

“I started with sh300, 000 which I saved from donations people give me,” he says.

Additionally, he also owns a restaurant in Nyenga and a catering company that offers outdoor catering for all functions.

“I am always in the kitchen because I am the main chef. I come up with recipes and make sure my clients eat the best food,” he assures.

Lubega does catering at big and small weddings, introduction ceremonies, anniversaries, birthdays, and religious celebrations.  

He works with 20 people and more depending on the size of the function.

These include single and stay at home mothers and youths he has trained.

“I have impacted over 300 families. I have trained them to cook, display and preserve food,” he says.

Some women have formed catering groups and are earning from offering their services at different functions.

Respecting the vows

Fr. Lubega clarifies that this business doesn’t contradict his priestly vow of poverty which barres him from enriching himself.

He says it’s a community initiative, aimed at uplifting people out of poverty.

“I am obliged to work for the betterment of the community to improve lives,” he emphasizes.

Lubega is quick to add that throughout the 10 years the business has existed, he has been ploughing back the profits, growing the enterprise, and giving people jobs and skills.

Who is Fr. Lubega?

Fr. Lubega is the last born of three children born to late Ernest Lubega and Scholastic Tebakula of Nakibano village in Mukono district.

He went to Kasaka primary school and St. Kalemba SSS Kangulumira.

In 1981, after his O levels, he joined St. Mbaaga Seminary where he spent nine years.

He was ordained in 1990.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in development studies from Makerere University, masters in human resource from Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and is currently pursuing his PHD from Nkozi University.