Bukedea, Uganda: A widow in Bukedea Town Council has transformed a Shs1 million Parish Development Model (PDM) grant into a thriving rice business, expanding her stock from five to 20 bags while improving the welfare of her family of six.
The success story emerged during an ongoing monitoring exercise by the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) in the Teso sub-region, where officials are assessing the impact of the government’s flagship wealth creation programme at household level.
The monitoring team was led by ONC Teso Regional Coordinator Joseph Michael Okorom, accompanied by Bukedea District Coordinator Patrick Okitel.
Their visit took them to Kide North Cell in Bukedea Town Council, where they met Ms. Inumet Abusa, a widow and rice trader whose business has grown significantly since receiving PDM support in 2023.
At the time she received the government grant, Abusa owned only five bags of rice for sale. She says she invested the entire Shs1 million into her business and has since increased her stock to 20 bags, creating a more stable source of income.
“I am grateful to Government for this support. The rice business is now giving me opportunities to take care of my home,” Abusa said.
Having lost her husband three years ago, Abusa now shoulders the responsibility of caring for six dependents.
She says the proceeds from the expanded business now enable her to provide regular meals for her family, pay school fees, and meet medical expenses whenever the need arises.
“Because of Government support, I can feed my family, take children to better schools, and get medical help,” she said.
Despite her progress, Abusa cited high transport costs and weather-related disruptions that occasionally affect access to markets as some of the challenges facing her business.
She, however, noted that continued reinvestment of profits has enabled the enterprise to remain resilient despite the setbacks.
Speaking during the monitoring exercise, ONC Teso Regional Coordinator Joseph Michael Okorom commended Abusa for prudently investing the funds and urged other beneficiaries to emulate her example.
“Stories like Ms. Abusa’s show that when PDM is invested well, it creates household stability, school-fee security, and jobs,” Okorom said.
He encouraged beneficiaries to continue reinvesting profits into productive enterprises to achieve long-term household wealth creation.
Bukedea District ONC Coordinator Patrick Okitel reaffirmed the office’s commitment to monitoring beneficiaries to ensure government funds are translated into sustainable businesses and improved household incomes.
The monitoring exercise forms part of ONC’s nationwide efforts to document success stories, promote accountability, and encourage effective utilisation of Parish Development Model funds as government continues implementing its wealth creation agenda.
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