By Denis Mukisa
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Baale Sub-county, Kayunga District, are making steady progress in improving their livelihoods through government-supported livestock projects, despite grappling with water shortages, internal disputes and other challenges.
Several disability groups in the sub-county have invested government funds in goat and dairy farming, with members expressing optimism that the projects will provide sustainable household incomes.
The Bbaale Disability Group, which consists of seven members, has expanded its goat-rearing project from an initial seven goats to 16. The group received Shs3 million from the government and now plans to sell the goats and invest in dairy farming.
“Our target is to buy a dairy cow after selling the goats. We want to improve our livelihoods,” said the group’s treasurer, Betty Babirye.
However, Babirye said persistent water shortages, especially during prolonged dry spells, continue to threaten the group’s progress. She appealed to the government to construct valley dams to provide reliable water sources for livestock.
“We struggle to find water for the animals during drought. Valley dams would greatly improve our farming activities,” she said.
Another beneficiary, the Nsuube PWD Cattle Rearing Group, has faced setbacks due to internal disagreements that led to a split in its membership.
The group initially had six members, but only three remain after disputes reportedly emerged over the management of the Shs3 million allocated for the project. Some members allegedly sought to divide the funds among themselves instead of investing in the planned enterprise.
Despite the disagreements, the remaining members invested in two dairy cows, which they are currently rearing.
Group member Joseph Egesa said they chose dairy farming as a long-term investment aimed at generating income from milk sales while setting a positive example for their children.
“We want to show our children that people with disabilities can work hard and earn a living. Selling milk will help us support our families,” Egesa said.
He added that the group remains concerned that former members could attempt to interfere with or steal the livestock, noting that efforts to resolve the dispute through meetings have not yielded a lasting solution.
The Focal Person on the District Council for the Persons with Disabilities, Collins Kafeero, urged beneficiaries to remain committed to the projects and use government support responsibly.
He said the district council had been conducting monitoring visits to assess the progress of projects funded under the National Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities.
“The purpose of today’s monitoring was to confirm that the beneficiary groups exist and to assess how the government-funded projects are performing,” Kafeero said.
Baale Sub-county has nine disability groups that collectively received Shs22 million under the National Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities. Parents of children with disabilities also benefited from the programme.
Kayunga District Disability Council Chairperson Paul Kalamaje said continuous sensitisation of beneficiary groups had significantly improved project implementation and sustainability.
He commended the government for supporting persons with disabilities through livelihood programmes but noted that challenges remain in the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), where some funds have reportedly been accessed by unintended beneficiaries.
Kalamaje encouraged those who have not yet benefited from government programmes to engage local authorities and follow the established procedures instead of becoming discouraged, saying this would increase their chances of accessing future support.
ENDS.
English 