Mayuge elderly, PWDs get sh138m empowerment grants

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MAYUGE - The Government has released over shillings 138 million in grants meant to improve standards of living for the elderly and people with disabilities (PWDs) in Mayuge district.

Under the Special Enterprise Grant for Older Persons which targets people between 60 and 79 years (who are not eligible for the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment), shillings 32.6 million will be distributed to beneficiaries in eight groups from various sub-counties.

On the other hand, a total of shillings 105 million will distributed to 22 groups of PWDs this financial year with each group of 2 to 10 members receiving between sh3m-sh5m, according to Harriet Achen the community development officer in charge of PWDs and the elderly in Mayuge.

Speaking during the launch of the distribution exercise held at Ikulwe primary school in Mayuge town council on April 23, 2024, Achen cautioned beneficiaries against misappropriation of the funds.

She also warned against a tendency by some group leaders to discriminate against certain members while stressing that proper utilisation would enable more people to benefit from government support.

“This money is meant to help you lift your standards of living by investing it in income-generating projects and it must do exactly that,” she said.

Mayuge resident district commissioner Elijah Madoi noted with happiness that earlier beneficiaries of the grants performed well but warned that his office would not hesitate to arrest whoever tried to misuse the funds.

He also asked beneficiaries to be careful when choosing enterprises and always seek guidance from technical persons to avoid making losses.

The Mayuge district secretary for education and health David Zija who represented the LC 5 chairman as chief guest, commended the government for empowering groups of people such as the disabled and elderly who he said were neglected by past regimes.

He asked the CDOs office to guide groups that may want to change from their initial projects, citing the silverfish (mukene) business which he said some groups had chosen but the business declined following a ban on fishing activities by the government.

Achen said a change of enterprise is accepted provided the group follows the right procedure of writing to the chief administrative officer through the community development officer.

Sheikh Muhammed Kasakya the chairman of Malongo Older Persons Group which is engaged in dairy farming and beekeeping, praised the support saying it was a timely intervention.

He said the group hopes to use the shillings 5 million to expand their business by acquiring more animals, feeds, and bee hives.

Mastula Musubika, the secretary Jaguzi Tukolere Walala Disability Group, said following the ban on fishing on the lake, they plan to switch to Cocoa farming using the shillings 3 million they got.