More than 370 elderly persons in Kyankwanzi district are excited after receiving the 24,000 shillings monthly pay.
The 370 are the first beneficiaries of the government’s Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment-SAGE in the district.
The beneficiaries, all from Butemba Sub County, received the money on Monday evening at the sub county headquarters in Kyankwanzi.
Although the money appears little to sustain the elderly persons amid high cost of living, the beneficiaries are excited.
82 year old Lozio Ngyenzaruhoro of Kamukanga village says with the monthly pay, he will now be able to afford basic needs of life more especially food.
Alice Nakayima, who is also aged 82 and from Buguluma village, says out of her 24,000 shillings she will save part of it to enable her start up income generating projects.
The elderly woman plans to start up a poultry project to support the education of her four grand children.
Leopold Damulira Kinene, the Kyankwanzi LC5 chairperson who officiated at the handover of the money, is optimistic that the program will go a long way in ensuring the social wellbeing of older persons and the vulnerable people.
Medard Ndinawe, the district project coordinator says the program targets older persons of 65 years and above under the vulnerable Families Support Grants for households with low labour capacity and high dependency.
SAGE is a five year program being implemented by the Ministry of Gender and its being piloted in 14 districts in Uganda. The other districts are Napak, Kole, Amudat, Zombo, Kyegegwa, Kaberamaido, Kiboga, Kyenjojo, Apac, Moroto and Nakapiripirit. It is supported by the Department for International Development (DFID), Irish Aid and UNICEF.
