Omoro women take lead in household income

It is a Thursday afternoon and Ms Gloria Laker is using an Ox-plough to clear her farmland as she prepares to plant maize the next season.

Speaking in the local dialect (Luo), she is overheard directing the oxen, Wot atir, lub bur, wot oyot oyot, literally meaning move straight in the line and faster.

A resident of Owich Village, Odek Sub-county in Omoro District, Laker is glad to be part of the beneficiaries in Rubanga-twero Women Empowerment Group, who received six pairs of ox-plough under the household empowerment programme donated by Favour of God Ministries.
She says the ox-plough has helped her to clear big chucks of land unlike in the past when she was using handhoes.

Upon receiving the animals in October last year, Ms Laker and 59 other members in the group, embarked on learning how to use the ox-plough.
She says in the last season using the ox-plough, she was able to plant an acre of soya bean and harvest five bags.

“To me, the harvest was a boost in my life, I was able to sell and pay school fees for my six children, one of them is also sitting Senior Four exams,’’ Ms Laker says.

The mother of seven says she no longer faces challenges in providing her family with basics as the ox-plough helps her save time to engage in other income-generating activities.

“With improved incomes, as members of the group, we started a savings association that convenes every Sunday and each member saves from Shs500 and above,’’ she adds.
Ms Laker’s husband, Mr Walter Okema, says the empowerment, programme through the supply of ox-plough, is sustainable and as men, they are advocating similar support.

“Empowering our spouses has gone a long way in improving the lives of many of us and the children in many homes are in schools since their parents can afford the basic requirements needed,’’ he says.
He says similar programmes targeting men will be a milestone in supplementing women’s income.

Ms Betty Akwero, the Rubanga- twero Women Empowerment Group chairperson, says: “ Through sharing in the Bible study, we realised that there was gender-based violence in homes due to limited resources among the spouses and that is when an idea was sought to empower homes to limit the vice.”

“In a family where resources are available, you hardly hear cases of violence, the empowerment programme has addressed the vice,” Ms Akwero says.
Plans are underway to open up land for the group so that cash is raised to have a pair of ox-plough in each household, she says.

Govt advised
The Odek Sub-county chairperson, Mr Richard Okello Labongo, says other government programmes intended to benefit locals should borrow a leaf from the empowerment programme.

“Right from the onset, the programme is giving us results,’’ he says.
The team leader of Favour of God Ministries in Uganda, Mr Simon Ogen, says the programme has been running for three years now in Gulu, Kitgum, Omoro and Amuru districts.

“We are targeting majorly rural women, whose livelihood is normally realised through agriculture and on many occasions, they are the home breadwinners,’’ he reveals.
There are 10 groups in the four districts, with each group comprising 50 to 100 members.

“The members identify viable projects they want the ministry to support. We do not impose projects on them” Mr Ogen tells Saturday Monitor.
Other projects the women engage in are piggery and goats rearing.

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