Government introduces women's council SACCO

The programme known as 15 household that will see over 9,361,702 households in the country is being coordinated by the National Women's Council. The programme is tailored to increasing the productivity of a section of the population that would most likely wallow in poverty and unemployment if left unaided.

 

"At the core of this Model are the 5 village Women Council leaders and the 15 households. The 5 village Women Council leaders will be the duty bearers and the 15 households will be the rights holders. The village Women Council Executive will engage 15 households annually.

 

It is our goal to reach the 9,361,702 households in the country within the 5 years of the implementation of the Model and the National Women's Council Strategic Investment Plan," said Collins Mwijuka, the National Women's council executive secretary.

 

 

Mwijuka noted that the woman council leader will be expected to support the 15 households under her care at least once in a quarter and with individual households at least once a month to be able to achieve the objectives.

 

During the workshop, Faridah Kibowa, the chairperson of National Women's Council, noted that during the quarterly meetings, the leaders will be expected to receive feedback from the respective households, document and report on best practices and challenges.

 

"The 15 households' model will bring market and development information to your doorsteps, each household will be informed on how to access the opportunities provided by Government and Development Partners, because of this initiative, Ugandans are expected to benefit better from Programmes such as Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme, NAADS and Youth Livelihood programme," Kibowa noted.

 

According to the new plan, there will be a Women's Council leaders SACCO at every Sub-County, where women leaders will be able to save while at the same time accessing funds for their economic empowerment activities.

 

During the workshop rural women said that they are not singing from the same hymn book with their enlightened urban counterparts.

 

"We also want a decent lifestyle but we cannot afford it, we hear that the Government has different developmental programmes for women but these skills and knowledge never get to us. All the programmes are enjoyed by urban women. Few of us are benefiting from operation wealth creation and NAADS that is why we are always left behind," said Aisha Nakkagwa, a woman leader in Luwero.

 

Nakaggwa blamed government officials who come to meet them in the village and use English.

 

"Most of our women did not go further with books others did not go to school but we receive people to teach us about certain programmes and they use English. The materials we are given are in English so we end up just using the books to light Charcoal stove, Government should consider us," she said.