Our partner from Pallisa, Eliazar, sent an update to our CEO, Jeff. Below is his update about how the program is going as well as those in the community. Please be in prayer for them as you become more aware of their circumstances. You can also reach out to us via email or phone if you would like to know how you can come along side them during this season.
“Greetings to you Brother Jeff in the name of our Lord Jesus,
It is my prayer that you are doing well and your family. We want to thank God for all the efforts, resources and time you and MANUP AND GO Ministries lay down for the sake of the brothers down here in Africa and the rest of the world to see that they become the man God wants them to be.
It has really been a challenging time with the COVID 19 season for most of the families out here given the circumstances that came along with it. The general economy was affected and leading to decrease in demand for goods and services because of the scarcity of money in circulation and people opted for essentials. This affected most men in the cohort making it hard for them do a timely repayment of what they are due because most of their IGA depend on the market yet people had opportunity cost to make.
However, we thank God that COVID did not claim anyone of them despite the fact that 4 of them were victims. I have been doing home visits and the general standard of living and income had gone down but to God be the glory that they did not completely go down but and some of them with difficulties have managed to hold through the time.
Below are some of the men who are still moving on with business though very low returns for now but trusting God for economic stability.
Okello Joseph is one of the outstanding members of the 2019AMP cohort who have withstood the challenges of the time. He is still into his piggery project and successfully managing. The outbreak of the covid 19 for the last two years that came with a lock down affected almost everything thing in terms of the economy. There was a limit on the circulation of money and therefore limited market for several products. Okello says he faced the challenge as it came; he was able to sustain his family and his project. His pig stay still has 30 pigs, one expecting soon and the other breast feeding. His project has helped him keep the children in school and give proper medical care. He is expecting to replace his turkey poultry project at the sale of some of the piglets. He will sale a piglet $18
.Omuba Ivan is the chairperson of the 2019 AMP cohort Pallisa. He does metal fabrication for his IGA, he is one of those that faced a very hard time during the Covid time. The demand for fabrication went low and he had to shift some of his capital into starting mobile money business alongside his metal fabrication business. He is glad that the economy was fully reopened and the expectations for market revamp are high.
We had Andrew have his wife admitted in hospital for over 7 months over for a swollen stomach with water over a cause we can’t explain, Jacob Kirya also had his wife suffer Covid which affected her greatly, and then cerebral malaria that she nearly lost her mind, Mande equally was a covid victim but We bless God they are now out and picking up
All these men need prayers as most of them have been through a hard time and it has been hard for them to raise resources for sustenance and loan repayment yet they are trying to be the man God wants them to be.”
