Amelia asks women to join SACCOs

By Simon Ssekidde

MPIGI - Women have been asked to join SACCOS to escape the abyss of poverty that is affecting most women in Uganda today.

This advice was given by minister for Trade and Industry Amelia Kyambadde during the district Women’s day celebrations held on Friday at Muduuma sub county headquarters under the theme ‘Empowerment of Women and girls is Progressive for All.’

Amelia said joining SACCOS will help them improve their livelihoods as it will encourage them to save and also plan properly for what they earn.

“I want to encourage you to join SACCOS because it becomes easy for you to save and also borrow and is also in line with the government program of economic empowerment” Amelia said.

She thanked President Yoweri Museven for putting up the Women’s Fund that is going to support them and urged them to utilize it to start up ventures.

Amelia however blamed mothers for the increasing number of early pregnancies among young girls.

She said she gets shocked whenever she visits maternity wards in the district and finds young girls.

The district speaker, Juliet Jemba Wamala, appealed to parents to educate the girl child saying some parents especially in rural areas have a negative perspective towards investing in girl child education.

Jemba said although the government has done much to help fight the problem of domestic violence many women in homes are still victims and this has exposed them to untold suffering.

She appealed to men to work together with their wives to start up wealth creation ventures.

“There is need for the men to work together with wives in starting up wealth generating activities in homes as this will give women assurance that they are part of the business,” Jemba said.

Lillian Nakaweesi, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner urged parents to utilize government programs like the Universal Primary Education and the Universal Secondary Education to keep girls in school.

She however appealed to women not to disrespect husbands in the name of women emancipation or gender equality.

District chairman John Mary Luwakanya also appealed to mothers to work hard since government has put up many ventures aimed at empowering women.

The event was attended by women from different sub counties and also different women groups exhibited various projects.