The Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Gabula Nadiope IV, on Friday hosted a delegation of Neyendeire Development Initiatives (NDI) representatives from Busoga sub-region.
The NDI representatives included their champions, district chairpersons called captains and some of the village chairpersons from all the eleven districts that make up Busoga sub-region.
Led by Kampala Capital City Authority’s (KCCA) Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, who was in the accompany of the Private Secretary to the First Lady, Irene Kawuma, the delegation paid a courtesy call to the Kyabazinga at his Igenge Palace in Jinja City and commended the King for developing Busoga.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, is the Patron of NDI while Kisaka and Kawuma are champions in the association.
In her remarks, Kisaka said she leads a women’s effort whose model focuses on the grassroot homesteads to bring about socio-economic transformation of Busoga sub-region.
She said they developed the idea to create a homestead nursery at village level to be led by chairpersons, adding that if a homestead is created, people will be mobilized and trained about sanitation, child caring, nutrition, food security and also be introduced to new programs initiated by government at village level which they can engage in for development.
Kisaka said there are 4,712 villages in the eleven districts of Busoga and their target is to see that each village has a homestead nursery.
She noted that NDI has so far established 252 homestead nurseries that will act as training centres about socio-economic development in homes.
Kisaka said since inception of their association in 2016, they have managed to establish 6 homestead nurseries in Buyende district, 5 in Mayuge, 6 in Jinja City, 7 in Namutumba, 4 in Namayingo, 12 in Bugiri, 20 in Luuka, 24 in Kaliro, 29 in Kamuli, 18 in Bugweri, 54 in Jinja rural and 56 in Iganga district.
She noted that these homestead nurseries will be a secret of development in Busoga sub-region. Kisaka said they are going to start up a SACCO for their association.
In his remarks, the Kyabazinga of Busoga William Gabula Nadiope IV, said Busoga Kingdom was ready to partner with NDI to engage in the homestead socio-economic transformation.
He said the kingdom will support the homestead nursery approach in order for people to improve on their sanitation, food security and production and also prevent domestic violence in homes.
The monarch urged the leadership of NDI to consider gender balance while registering their members in the association adding that he needs to see men too getting registered in big numbers.
Later, Kisaka handed over a shs20 million cheque as a donation from the First Lady through NDI to the Kyabazinga and it was received by the Culture Minister Richard Mafumo who represented Busoga Kingdom’s Katuukiro Dr. Joseph Muvawala. The delegation also donated gifts to the Kyabazinga.
Present at the ceremony was the Isabalangira of Busoga Samuel Zirabamuzale, Chief Nkono from Bukhono chiefdom and various Ministers of Busoga Kingdom.
