The First Lady, Janet Museveni, has urged wives of Special Forces Command (SFC) soldiers to unite, work together, and embrace a savings culture.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Janet emphasized that the SFC Spouses fraternity could accumulate substantial funds, expand their businesses, and enhance their families’ development through disciplined saving.
She was officiating at the second Graduation ceremony of SFC spouses, held at the Marine Grounds in Entebbe. The event also included a fundraising drive for a paper crafting machine for Wamaama Production Centre.
The graduates received training in soap making, baking, tailoring, cooking, weaving, leather design, and bead artistry. After completing six months of non-formal training at Wamaama Production Centre, they were awarded Uganda Vocational Qualifications Framework Performance Transcripts.
The graduates are part of 160 women from two cohorts who have successfully completed an occupational competence-based assessment by the Directorate of Industrial Training. The first cohort graduated in November 2023.
She shared a story about uneducated women in Bangladesh who, through disciplined weekly savings and collective effort, accumulated enough capital to establish the Grameen Bank—even declining a loan offer from the World Bank.
“I always wish and pray that African women would have that unity and work together and save until one day they can say they do not need to borrow money from organizations like the World Bank,” she said, adding, “This is what we must work to see happen in Africa, because even when we plan to work, we do not even save. When you save a little money and Christmas is around the corner, you get all of it and use it, and you have to start all over again,” she said.
She noted that financial strain often leads to domestic conflicts, contributing to household violence.
“Now, I am informed that through these programs, women are given the training and tools that they need to support themselves, and the quality of life has improved for many households,”Janet said.
She presented President Museveni’s donation covering the full cost of a paper crafting machine. This equipment, which will produce napkins, serviettes, facial towels, toilet paper, and kitchen towels, is expected to generate additional income for the SFC spouses’ fraternity.
Maj Gen David Mugisha, the Commander SFC, said Pesident Museveni’s support to initiatives like skilling of the girl child has been an open chance for groups like Wamaama to benefit, flourish, equip, and promote their spouses with vital technical skills.
“This empowerment not only alleviates financial burden but also strengthens the very fabric of our families and communities. As the saying goes, ‘if you empower a woman, you empower a nation.’ This truth resonates profoundly within the Special Forces Command and its surrounding areas where the skills have impacted lives,” he said.
Kellen Nayebare, the Director of Wamaama, outlined their achievements: acquiring land in Entebbe, registering as a company, and obtaining certification for formal and non-formal assessment. They have secured markets in SFC canteens, established production centers in nine military barracks, and acquired a soap-making plant with a 150-kg hourly capacity.
“I want to first of all thank you, Maama, for you were the first donor to our spouses when you donated 37 sewing machines in 2007. We have graduated today with more than 100 sewing machines in nine production centres,” she said.