Over 5000 in Kampala receive SAGE money

ELDERLY|SAGE|MONEY 

KAMPALA - Over 5000 older persons aged 80 years and above in the six Kampala City Divisions have received Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) cash.

According to the gender ministry, they targeted 289 older persons in Kampala Central, 1560 from Kawempe, Makindye 1,324, Nakawa 946 and 1,400 in Rubaga.

Alice Gawo aged, 85, after receiving her payments at Katwe Primary School praised the government for the money saying that it will enable her to afford basic needs and treatment.

Mohamed Abdullah aged 82 years said; "I'm happy that I have received this money. I have heard about it for long."

In November 2018, the government took a decision to roll out the SAGE programme, to all districts in the country, starting the last financial year.

President Yoweri Museveni launched SAGE national rollout in Mbale on March 8 and this coincided with the International Women's Day national celebrations.

The national rollout will see more than 200,000 new beneficiaries enrolled onto the programme.

"Since the roll out payments started, we have already covered nearly two third (2/3) of the 71 new districts.

The plan is to complete making first payments in all new districts by the end of August 2020," the head of the programme management unit, Stephen Kasaija said.

The districts already covered include Bukedea, Ngora, Serere, Soroti, Buliisa, Hoima, Kikuube, Luwero, Masindi, Mityana, Obongi, Maracha, Oyam, Bukomansimbi, Buikwe, Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kibuku,  Butaleja, Ntungamo, Kapchorwa, Mbarara, Rwampara, Busia, Manafwa, Gomba, Kalungu, Lwengo, Lira,  among others.

Kasaija said infirm beneficiaries who are not able to come to the pay point will be registered and enrolled at their homes.

"However, this will be done later, after the current mass registration and enrolment has been concluded. They will therefore be paid at that time," he said.

Between 2010-2015, SAGE was piloted in Amudat, Apac, Kaberamaido, Katakwi, Kiboga, Kole, Kyankwanzi, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Napak, Nebbi, Yumbe and Zombo.

Normally, beneficiaries receive Sh25,000 per month, paid every two months however due to the suspension  of the payments  due Covid-19, new districts are receiving six- months payments from January-June 2020.

Kasaija explained that SAGE has resulted into improved welfare of the older people and their families through increased food security, frequency, quantity and quality of meals, access and uptake of health services, uptake of education services among children living with older people, improved ability to deal with economic shocks among older persons and their households.

He added that there is increased productivity of beneficiary households through investment of grants by older persons to hire labour to open up their hitherto idle land, purchase of livestock for rearing and procurement farm inputs which improve yields, the establishment of small businesses that make a return on investment, among others.

"Beneficiaries have formed savings and loan groups, saving on a weekly or monthly basis and then disbursing the accumulated savings on a rotational basis at agreed intervals," he said.

He added that increased purchasing power among SAGE beneficiaries has increased demand for local goods and services.

"This has resulted in the establishment of new businesses and markets to supply essential commodities such as soap, salt, sugar and paraffin and food stuff - particularly on SAGE paydays," he added.

Analysis based on the Uganda National Household Survey 2009/2010, confirms that national roll-out of SAGE would lift at least 1.2 million older people and household members out of extreme poverty.

It would also improve economic security for an additional 1.7 million people who are highly vulnerable to falling into poverty and benefit 3 million of Uganda's most vulnerable children.