Gomba District has disbursed UGX 20 million to four older persons' groups under the Special Enterprise Grant for Older Persons (SEGOP), providing financial support to help members establish income-generating enterprises and improve their household livelihoods.

The official disbursement, held on 11th November 2026 at the District Headquarters, brought together district leaders and beneficiaries. The engagement also aimed to guide group leaders on the proper utilisation of the funds, sensitise beneficiaries about other government programmes and caution them against misusing the financial support.

The Special Enterprise Grant for Older Persons is a government programme designed to address the gap created by the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE), by extending financial support to older persons to establish income-generating activities and increase household incomes.

The programme targets older persons aged between 60 and 79 years, a category identified as needing greater participation in national development programmes.

SEGOP was rolled out across all districts, municipalities and cities in the 2022/2023 financial year, with Gomba District among the three groups selected during the pilot phase.

Since its introduction in the district, 70 older persons aged between 60 and 79 years have benefited from the programme, with a cumulative UGX 67 million disbursed by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.

Four groups benefit from the FY 2025/2026 allocation

Under the FY 2025/2026 allocation, four beneficiary groups received UGX 5 million each, bringing the total disbursement to UGX 20 million.

The groups verified by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and funded under the programme are:

1. Kifampa Kamusenene Elderly Coffee Group.

2. Kasaka Kyaterekera Elderly Piggery Group.

3. Ttaba-Bbinzi Bakadde Kwagalana.

4. Mpenja Kyetumiisoliya Mukulu Elderly Goat Rearing Group.

The grant is intended to provide financial support for income generation, enhance the entrepreneurial and life skills of older persons and promote their participation in national development programmes.

District leaders urge beneficiaries to utilise funds responsibly

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) Sentongo Badru welcomed the older persons and introduced them to his responsibilities at the district. He congratulated the beneficiaries upon receiving the grant, describing it as an opportunity to improve their livelihoods through the intended income-generating activities.

He urged the older men and women to work together, strengthen cooperation within their groups and ensure that the funds serve the intended purpose for their collective wellbeing.

The District Community Development Officer (DCDO), Byaruhanga Arthur, also welcomed the beneficiaries and emphasised the importance of proper utilisation of the funds.

He cautioned the older persons against being coerced by anyone into surrendering additional money and urged them to ensure that the grant is used strictly for the activities for which it was provided.

Improving livelihoods through older persons' participation

The SEGOP programme has enabled older persons aged between 60 and 79 years, who are not covered under the Senior Citizens' Grant, to access financial support for improving their livelihoods and meeting basic needs.

The programme has also created opportunities for older persons to participate in national development programmes, strengthen their savings culture and improve their investment status.

Through the provision of start-up capital, beneficiaries have been supported to establish and improve income-generating activities.

However, the programme continues to face challenges, including limited funding allocations to districts, which restrict the number of older persons who can benefit despite this age category constituting a significant proportion of the community. Limited community sensitisation has also affected awareness and understanding of the programme.

There is therefore a need to increase funding allocations to districts to reach more eligible older persons and conduct additional community sensitisation meetings to improve understanding and participation.

For Gomba's older persons, the UGX 20 million disbursement provides another opportunity to participate in income-generating activities and improve household livelihoods. The impact of the grant will ultimately depend on how responsibly beneficiaries utilise the funds and work together to achieve the objectives of their respective enterprises.