Anyeko Bernard Masanga’s Lira Taxi operatoro Emyooga SACCO Success Story Shines At NALI Retreat.
By Okidi Patrick
KYANKWANZI — When many Emyooga SACCOs shared their seed capital, one man in Lira City thought differently — and today his vision has turned Shs 30 million into over Shs 60 million .
Mr. Anyeko Bernard Masanga, the General Secretary of Lira Municipality Taxi Operators Emyooga SACCO, has emerged as one of the star performers at the four-day Emyooga SACCO leaders retreat funded and organized by the Microfinance Support Centre Ltd at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) Kyankwanzi.
Masanga, who represented the entire Lira Zone comprising 19 districts across Acholi and Lango sub-regions, was among 211 best-performing SACCO leaders selected from 64,000 Emyooga SACCOs countrywide.
Speaking to our reporter, on Sunday Masanga narrated how the SACCO he leads was established in 2020 and received Shs 30 million in March 2021 under the national Emyooga Programme — but instead of distributing the money among members, he guided members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to invest the whole amount in a commercial taxi.
That bold decision has transformed the SACCO.
“We earn between Shs 120,000 and Shs 150,000 daily from the taxi,” Masanga revealed. “This income is being reinvested into the SACCO, helping us grow our loan portfolio from Shs 30 million to over Shs 60 million in just a few years. We’ve also created jobs and are transforming lives in Lira City.”
Today, under Masanga’s stewardship, the SACCO boasts over 150 active members, with more joining regularly. It is now regarded as one of the best-performing Emyooga SACCOs in the region, offering savings schemes and low-interest loans for personal and business development.
Masanga, who now ranks among the top leaders of Taxi Operators SACCOs in the country, expressed immense gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni and the Microfinance Support Centre Ltd for the transformative Emyooga initiative.
He said the training at NALI was very fruitful, equipping him with new knowledge on Oneness, Prosperity and Security as Uganda moves towards middle-income status. He pledged to extend the knowledge gained to other Emyooga SACCOs in Lira Zone to revamp them.
“I commend the Government of Uganda for supporting various SACCOs, President Yoweri Museveni for this vibrant wealth creation initiative for the youth, and the Microfinance Support Centre for funding this knowledgeable training,” Masanga said.
State Minister for General Duties in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Cissy Muloni, commended the Microfinance Support Centre for funding the retreat for selected well-performing Emyooga SACCOs.
Microfinance Support Centre Executive Director, Mr. John Peter Mujuni, said he was delighted that many SACCOs are now saving and becoming economically independent, noting that leaders like Masanga are proof that Emyooga is working.
About the Author
