Who benefits from PDM funds ??
Nakaseke -Uganda. Nakabugo Amina , a Uganda Youth farmer aged 21, she used a small grant from parish development model to start a sweet potato small farm that has since begun generating income .But her success raises questions about who really benefits from PDM funds and whether access is equitable.
"After completing my S.4 , i heard know where to start from , my English teacher convinced me to look for PDM support so that I get what to do , After getting parish development model funds ,I rented a quarter acre land to begin sweet potato plantation,this money helped me to buy other Agricultural tools I couldn't afford before ," Amina says " but not everyone I know has been able to access this help"
In our investigations , we have reveal that while some youth and women had successfully used PDM funds for agriculture and small enterprise, others faces delays , bureaucratic hurdles ,and lack of information, leaving them excluded in the program,
Kabuzi Yunus ,a parish chief in Nakaseke town council indicate that fund disbursement is sometimes inconsistent and lack monitoring .
Amina explains how she quickly accesed PDM funds , " it was easy for me to get all the one million ugandan shillings because my mum is NRM official, so she has connection to our parish chiefs and the CDO ,who are responsible for those funds , that's why I didn't get any obstacle in accessing the money " Amina says According to Amina , say that doesn't regret of choosing planting sweet potato because it's simple and take limited time to grow she added gained much income in the sweet potato plantation ,she expects to start selling her sweet potato in the month of September where she estimate a 100kg sack of sweet potato to be sold at around 180,000 Amina's plan to expand her income generation and start a women saloon in Nakaseke town .She encourages fellow youth to go back at grassroots and start participating in government program. And appeals the government to provide market for their harvested crops .
Amina's story while inspiring, underscores the un-even impact of government program at a parish level . Our research indicates that access to this funds depends on factors like awareness, connection and ability to navigate complex application process.
However as Nakabugo Amina enjoys the fruits of PDM fund , Tamale Lawrence, a residence of Kikyusa in luweero district, shadding tears due to the obstacles which broke him to access the fund ,Tamale started a small enterprise for phone repair and all electronics dealers , but his business got a crack due to the sickness of his daughter , he wanted to get the Parish Development Model fund to inject in the business which had a crack, but he had not in any community group,and tried to reach the PDM officials , and told him to first pay some 100000 ugxshs so that he puts him in any group, Lawrence explains ," I was asked to pay money for membership, and to make things easy I also asked to pay 100000 ugxshs totalling to 200000 ugx, so asked myself a question that when I pay 200000shillings and I don't get the money where will I report ? and when I sign one million and they give me 800,0000ugx when i must return one million plus , So I ended up leaving PDM money , "
Tamale calls the government to punish the PDM officials who ask for money from the community ,
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