First Lady Janet Museveni commissions Grameen Hospital

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The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Museveni, on Friday presided over the official opening of the Henry K. Grameen Hospital in Kabowa, Rubaga suburb in Kampala.

The hospital, worth sh400 million, was funded by members' savings of the Grameen Women’s Development Initiative.

 The drive led by Musa Mbaziira, the Speaker for Rubaga Division Local Council, started in May 2023 with seed capital of sh100 million donated by Mrs Museveni to enhance household incomes. 

A release from the First Lady's office states that to date, the group reports a membership of more than 20,400 women and a portfolio worth over sh4.2 billion in assets. The members save sh5,000 per day.

The Grameen microfinance concept is an innovation by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Prof. Yunus Muhammad, the current Chief Advisor of Bangladesh. The concept was birthed in the village of Jobra in Bangladesh following the Bangladesh famine of 1974 that left many households devastated and impoverished. The Grameen microcredit and microfinance concept was based on the principle of low-interest credit without collateral, targeting the poorest women.

After commissioning the complex, the First Lady, who braved the heavy afternoon downpour at Kitebi Senior Secondary School grounds, addressed a large gathering which included government officials, local and religious leaders, students as well and thousands of community members.

She applauded the Rubaga women under the Grameen Project for their unity, commitment to self-reliance, and prudent financial management. She commended their exemplary progress by reiterating that they have done what many other women groups in Uganda she has talked to about the Grameen microfinance concept have not been able to achieve.

While appreciating the Rubaga Grameen Women’s Development Initiative, Mrs Museveni said, “It has always been my prayer that the African women, not just in Uganda, would learn to work together, to stretch out and hold hands together, be united, and save their little income, which can grow into large financial institutions.”  

She said that after hearing the women of Rubaga testify about what they are doing with their little incomes and leveraging their strength in numbers, she has no doubt that if they continue to work like they are doing, they will open their own bank.

Mrs Museveni encouraged the women to maintain their unity and work ethic, and not to stop at their current achievements. “Do not feel that you have arrived. This is just the beginning,” she said. “You have laid a strong foundation. Continue building on it for the good of your households and for the development of our homeland - Uganda,” she added.

She advised the Grameen project to extend to other parts of Kampala and the country. “And you can do it, but it requires unity. Unity of purpose, about what you do, understanding one another other, and lifting each other up when you are down,” Mrs Museveni stressed.

The First Lady urged Rubaga residents, especially the youth, to appreciate unity, hard work, and national pride. “Africa will only rise when its people hold hands, support one another, and reject the politics of division,” she said. She emphasised that the real enemies of Africa are poverty and disease, not our culture, tribes, or differences in political ideology.

She thanked the Rubaga community for embracing Government programmes and reaffirmed the NRM administration’s commitment to supporting initiatives that uplift families across Uganda. “Today, I want to use my being here to challenge all of you to go out deliberately and mobilise all the people who live around here and work here to vote for the NRM.”

She challenged the community of Rubaga to display solidarity as a sign of a united Uganda moving forward.  “Poverty will be defeated forever, and people will come to Africa, and they will know that Africa is beautiful and the people of Africa are no longer poor. And we can start right here in Uganda,” Mrs Museveni predicted.

Mrs Museveni praised the students of Kitebi S.S. for their discipline and braving the heavy rain, and commended the school for nurturing patriotism. Mrs Museveni also officially handed over keys to a new Scania school bus donated to Kitebi Secondary School, a development the school administration said would ease transport and improve participation in academic and co-curricular programmes.

Mbaziira, Speaker of Rubaga Division Council, who is also the NRM MP Flag bearer for Rubaga South and Founder of the Grameen Women’s Development Initiative, commended Mrs Museveni for her seed capital to the project two years ago. The project has since expanded to other Divisions in KCCA as well as the neighbouring districts.

The Grameen Women’s Development Initiative has issued more than Shs. 1.5 billion in low-interest loans, supported skilling programmes, offered over 1,500 bursaries, helped women acquire land in several districts, established a Grameen Students Association with 16,000 young members, and runs a social protection fund covering weddings, funerals and emergencies.

“Our members now own land, run businesses, and have started earning from improved skills in; soap-making, bookbinding, juice processing and lotion production. This was Maama’s seed, and it has yielded millions. Such milestones reflect the stability and opportunities made possible through NRM’s continued focus on grassroots poverty eradication,” Mbaziira reported.

The Headteacher Kitebi Secondary School, Hajj Kamulegeya Muhammad, hailed the First Lady for her continued support, noting that the school has achieved significant progress since her first visit with President Yoweri Museveni on April 19, 2024.

He listed other achievements to include:  increased enrolment to 4,500 students, recognition as a UNEB marking centre, expansion of examination seating capacity, strengthened infrastructure and administration. 

“This school’s transformation is a result of your guidance and the leadership of the Government of Uganda,” Kamulegeya said, adding that the community was honoured to host the First Lady for a second time.

Alice Kaboyo, representing the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, echoed calls for community mobilisation, women empowerment, continued unity and safeguarding development gains.