March 12, 2025
By Stanley Ebele and Alexander Mackey Okori
KOTIDO MUNICIPALITY. Catherine Amito, a resident of Narikapet ward in Kotido municipality has been struggling to fend for her four children and seven dependants single handedly.
Her husband only identified as Lokuda, driver, is serving a twelve year term in prison over sexual assault on a minor.
Alone at home, Amito turned to brewing local brew commonly known as Ebutia a delicacy for the community in Kotido district.
With little gains from the business, Amito hardly managed to provide for her big family.
Her break through came in 2022, when she was listed among the beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM)’ the government planned last bullet to poverty eradication.
Etoil A Karamoja found her in a new bar and restaurant that she had acquired after PDM boost where she shared her transformative journey with the PDM program on her life and family.
With a smile on her face, Amito says she injected the money to her local brew business which later helped her to upgrade.
Amito reveals that her daily earnings have doubled to Shs20,000 from the bar and restaurant business.
From the earnings Amito is able to pay fees for her children and meet the family needs.
Amito is also able to employ at least six people in her restaurant and bar business and others in the garden.
Her success story is mirrored by many who benefited from PDM cash and invested it into income generating ventures.
Another beneficiary Joyce Akello, a resident of Entebbe area in Kotido East Ward, Kotido Municipality, says that the PDM cash has helped to resuscitate her Ebutia business.
Akello notes that with her business now rejuvenated, she is able to feed her family and save at least Shs30, 000 weekly in village savings and loans association.
The two testimonies are examples of beneficiaries of PDM program, launched by the president in 2021/2022 financial year in Kubuku district.
Through the PDM, government wants to take services to the people in order for the country to achieve uniform development.
The Parish Development Model is a multi-sectorial strategy to create economic transformation by moving the 39 per cent Ugandans still in the subsistence economy to the money economy using the parish as the epicenter for development.
