15,000 Busoga Muslim women to benefit from Museveni Shs2b donation

At least 15,000 Muslim women in Busoga Sub-region under their respective Saccos are set to benefit from a Shs2 billion donation from President Museveni.
The national chairperson Uganda Muslim Women Council (UMWC), an affiliation of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), Ms Sophie Safina Kenyangi said the funds, which are a donation from President Museveni, are interest-free.
“It is a revolving fund where women will access the money through Saccos, and it is different from funds from other organisations because it has no interest attached to it,” Ms Kenyangi said at the launch of Bugweri Muslim Women Sacco in Bugweri District on October 28.
She added that 15,000 Muslim women will benefit in the first phase, and that they have put in place guidelines and policies to ensure that all women, right from the grass root, benefit.
“We shall have policies like women councils that will monitor the funds,” she said, adding that they are to digitally monitor the funds through systems like Wakandi to ensure that it is tracked right from registration, savings to eliminate mismanagement of Sacco money.
Ms Kenyangi called upon the women to have transparency, accountability and a saving culture to prevent the Sacco from collapsing, adding that she expects the women to invest in different ventures, including agriculture, small scale businesses, poultry and animal rearing.
Iganga Resident District Commissioner, Mr Sadala Wandera, also contributed Shs20m to Bugweri District Muslim Women Sacco to improve their livelihood.
The Chairperson Bugweri District Women Council, Ms Sumini Nabirye, urged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds well saying they are intended to transform them economically.
The Deputy Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa, urged Muslims to be self-sufficient by engaging in income-generating activities.
Background
President Museveni announced a donation of Shs2 billion to the UMWC Sacco Muslim Women’s Council Sacco on October 8 during the inaugural Muslim Women Leaders’ Conference at Old Kampala Senior Secondary School.
“I have injected Shs20 billion in the Sacco so that the women stop losing their properties to moneylenders who charge them exorbitant interest; I want women to be empowered so that they can be independent economically,” Mr Museveni said.
The Chairperson Ibulanku Sub-county Women Council, Ms Zahara Namususwa, said the President has saved them from loans with interest, which is against the Islamic principles.
Some of the women funds established by the government, but haven’t benefited the Muslims because of interest attached to them include; Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP), and Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW).
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