A cattle restocking program in Sironko has suffered a setback as a result of first beneficiaries refusing to Passover the animals to the next beneficiaries. The restocking program which targets families of vulnerable children is being carried out by Child Fund International and Mafuko a local Non Governmental organization.
Under the program 580 heifers worth 232 million shillings were given out to 200 vulnerable primary school children in an effort to improve on their nutrition and their family income.
However, members of the cattle disbursement committees which are charged with the implementation of the program say they are meeting resistance from the first beneficiaries who are unwilling to Passover the animals to the next beneficiaries.
Jonah Nambobi a member of the cattle disbursement committee explains that of the 200 animals which his committee distributed in Nampanga parish, only 40 have been passed on to the next beneficiaries in the past three years.
Nambobi says that the people who took the animals decided to own them and as a result have deprived other beneficiaries of the revolving project. He says one of the beneficiaries drew an illegal gun at members of the disbursement committee who had attempted to take away the animal from him after it had produced.
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Alice Wamakuti a beneficiary from Bukuli Sub-county says that the time and resources that people spend on maintaining the animals tempts them to own them yet it’s supposed to be passed on after they have produced.
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Bernard Byagagire the project coordinator of child fund admits they are facing a great challenge in carrying out the program because of the attitude of the people who refused to hand over the animal after they have produced.
Byagagire says the project aims at improving livelihood among communities in Mbale and Sironko. Seventy more heifers worth 200 million shillings were yesterday handed over to another group of beneficiaries in Bukulo Sub-county, Sironko district.
