MP Paparu injects millions of shillings into women groups in Vurra

By Andrew Cohen Amvesi            

ARUA. Lillian Paparu Obiale, the Arua District Woman Member of Parliament (MP) has started injecting millions of shillings into various women groups in Vurra County, Arua District with the aim of empowering them economically.

So far, Paparu has supported 20 women groups in the district with money, ranging from shs4m to shs7m per group.

At least 32 women groups have been formed at Parish level across the district to benefit from MP Paparu’s initiative to transform the lives of women in Vurra County.

The latest group to benefit from Paparu’s support was Lazebu Parish women group in Logiri Sub County. The group that consists of 615 registered members was over the moon on Saturday when Paparu gave them shs6,150,000 as a top up on the shs7,380,000 they collected among themselves.

“I have a program for women because in my manifesto I had the economic and social transformation. So, in the line of economic transformation, I started some SACCO groups for market vendors. In the various trading centers of Vurra here, there are women whose permanent work is at the trading center, they move some distance, they buy some things but permanently they are at the trading center,” Paparu said.

“So, I realized, yes, they could be having saving groups down in their villages but within the trading center they didn’t have, so that means they can’t help one another in times of need within their trading centers. So, those are the people I started with. Then I realized I was capturing a smaller number of women of Vurra,” Paparu added.

Paparu said later she expanded her support to Parish level after thorough consultation with local leaders at village, Parish and Sub-County levels.

“As a community worker and to make sure there is ownership, what I told the local leaders was, let them come together and ask the women to mobilize their monies then I will give them something to boost them up because for me teamwork is the best and, in my manifesto, my motto was together we are strong,” Paparu explained.

She noted that women picked up her advice of forming the groups at parish level where they started mobilizing money.

“I started serving the first groups in February and today I was serving the 20^th group in Lazebu Parish and Lazebu has been the champion of the whole district because they were able to collect shs7,380,000, so I gave them shs6,150,000 that means they have about shs13m and I always tell them these monies let them use with minimal interest and we are talking of like 10 per cent interest rate,” Paparu stated.

With accumulated 100 per cent interest which belongs to the groups, Paparu said she has a vision that at the right time, the women of Vurra are going to have a small bank (a big SACCO) for sustainable development.

The MP, however, said she doesn’t own the groups formed, adding that the money she has given will remain for the groups and any other leader who loves the women and wants to support them can come and get them in organized groups already formed at Parish level.

“Why I’m I only picking women, actually my target is a household and I know it is the woman who is the kitchen. You know the son will go out there and come and eat here, the daughter will move and eat here, the father-in-law will eat here or the father will eat here, the mother will eat here, so for me it is targeting the household. It is not like I’m empowering them to become bosses to be bigger than their husbands, no! Whenever I go, I tell them in our culture men are heads of households and we are going to maintain that,” Paparu clarified for those trying to gain political capital by de-campaigning her support to the women.

Maimuna Oleru, a resident of Lezo village in Lazebu Parish also a member of Lazebu Parish women group thanked Paparu for the support, saying it is the first of its kind for them to see an MP coming back after election to support them like she has done.

Oleru said she first intends to borrow shs200,000 from the group to plant 3 acres of beans and cassava, and use the proceeds to pay the school fees of her son.

Similarly, Gladies Eyotaru, a resident of Asavu village in Lazebu Parish said she wants to borrow shs500,000 from the group to also plant beans and cassava to support her family.

Overwhelmed with joy, the women later showered Paparu with gifts including bananas, pumpkins and cocks among other things in appreciation of her support.

John Bosco Odama, the Logiri Sub-County Chairperson advised the women that for the money given by MP Paparu to multiply, it requires unity among members and families.

He said this will help the group members to educate their children and also fight poverty at household level.

As part of her social empowerment drive, Paparu later proceeded to Ayuara Chapel in Lazebu Catholic Sub-Parish, Logiri Sub-County where she contributed shs1m to help the Christians in completing the construction works of the Chapel.

The MP concluded her day at Ketekele Primary School where she officially launched Logiri Sub-County Uhuru tournament.

During the launch, Paparu also extended a contribution of shs500,000 and brand-new goal post nets to support the 10 teams registered for the tournament which will climax on Independence Day.