Former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Ms Dorothy Kisaka has launched a new poverty eradication campaign in Busoga Sub-region, aimed at empowering communities to improve household incomes and reduce dependence on handouts.
Speaking during the launch of the ‘NEYENDEIRE’ initiative at Elohim Primary School in Kiyinikibi Zone, Bugiri Municipality, on November 4, Ms Kisaka said the project seeks to tackle poverty from the grassroots by promoting practical, income-generating activities and mindset change.
‘I have visited every district in Busoga, and the biggest challenge is that local leaders have not mobilized people to get involved in productive ventures,’ she said. ‘Through NEYENDEIRE, we want to change that mindset and promote self-reliance.’
She explained that the project will focus on three pillars, economic empowerment, health, and hygiene, noting that poor health practices have a direct link to poverty.
‘Many families spend most of their income treating preventable diseases. If we improve hygiene and promote good health, people will be stronger and able to focus on improving their livelihoods,’ Ms Kisaka said.
The NEYENDEIRE initiative will encourage families to embrace vegetable farming, both for nutrition and income generation, as a way of diversifying household sources of food and revenue.
‘Vegetables are not only a source of food security but also vital in fighting malnutrition, especially among children and the elderly,’ she added.
Under the program, over 2,000 households will be sensitized to become model homes, showcasing best practices in sanitation, sustainable agriculture, and small-scale entrepreneurship.
Ms Kisaka said the long-term goal is to reach 4,700 villages across Busoga in partnership with government agencies and development partners.
‘As NEYENDEIRE, we are working closely with the government to ensure Busoga becomes one of the most transformed regions in Uganda,’ she said.
According to Ms Hadija Bagye, the project’s vice chairperson, the initiative will place a strong emphasis on empowering women.
‘This project mainly targets women because they play a key role in driving household transformation. We are seeking both political and community support to ensure its success,’ Ms Bagye said.
Statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) show that Busoga remains the poorest sub-region in Uganda, largely due to over-reliance on sugarcane farming and limited economic diversification.
Through NEYENDEIRE, Ms Kisaka hopes to shift communities toward a more diversified and self-sustaining rural economy.