The Minister of Tourism and Heritage in Busoga Kingdom, Hon. Hellen Olga Namutamba has hailed the government of the Republic of Turkey for donating Industrial machines to two non-government organisations in order to promote skills development among women and youth, and boosting Socio-economic transformation in Busoga.

The machines were donated to Women Integrated Empowerment Development (WIED), a women non-government organisation based in Buwenda Mataala village in Jinja City and to ROHO Uganda, a ngo based in Walukuba-Masese, in Jinja City.

WIED received a double head modern button processing machine and is also yet to receive more two machines to facilitate the making of centre tables and wardrobes.

ROHO Uganda, received a processing machine for disposable hygienic pads, soap making machine, packing machine, cutting process machine for bar soap and 50 rolls of raw materials used for producing hygienic pads.

According to Hon. Namutamba, the machines were lobbied by Rt. Hon. Alitwala Rebecca Kadaga, the First deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs and Kyabazinga of Busoga William Gabula Nadiope IV who wrote proposals through her (Namutamba) to the Turkish Embassy requesting it to empower communities by to extend support to vulnerable people in Busoga Kingdom.

She extended gratitude to the Embassy of Turkiye in Uganda especially to Ambassador Mehmet Fatih Ak, the Ambassador of Turkiye in Uganda and to the Country Director of TIKA in Uganda, Omer AYKON, for responding to Maama Kadaga and Kyabazinga’s call of empowering communities in Busoga.

Namutamba revealed that Kadaga and herself started extending support to WIED in 2015 adding that Kadaga gave them some money to purchase some local machines from Katwe which they have been using to make products like buttons, cups, spoons, ladles and décor from cow horns.

She said the button processing machine has different design units and its production capacity is 1000 buttons per hour.

Hon. Namutamba said that the machines will create more employment and empower women and Youth in Busoga.

Dr. Abubakar Byango from TIKA, said the machines that were donated to ROHO Uganda will be used in making pads, napkins and pumpers for children as well as soap and this will promote skills development among disadvantaged youth and women.

He revealed that the whole consignment of machines donated to both WIED and ROHO Uganda are worth $450,000.

Dr. Byango added that the other two machines that will be delivered to WIED in a week’s time include a fillet machine and a Single face Engine motor.

He further said that the government of Turkiye sends thousands of scholarship applications across several Countries in the world where Uganda is inclusive and urged Ugandans to tap into this scholarship program so that they benefit from it.

Women expressed gratitude to Namutamba, Kadaga and Kyabazinga of Busoga for lobbying for the new machines for WIED and ROHO Uganda.