The President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Museveni and the First Lady Janet Museveni were on Tuesday in Lira District conducting a zonal tour to take stock of the Parish Development Model-PDM. The two were hosted by Mrs Vicky Apio, a beneficiary of the program, at her home in Alingiri village, Amach town council. Museveni was impressed by the change PDM has caused in different regions, including Lira; the money is having real use in the people’s lives.

Throughout the visit, President Museveni commended Mrs. Apio for her hard work and judicious use of the funds provided under PDM in developing her farming enterprise. He re-echoed how insistent she was, determined to enhance her livelihood through maize growing and sheep raising.

“I commend Vicky Apio for taking charge of her future. She started with maize farming, rearing sheep, and even bought a plot of land. The district’s production officers should step in to support people like her. Apio said that access to water is a challenge—how do we address this issue?” Museveni questioned.

The President, to further support her, gave her some financial support and a tricycle for transport. He also promised to construct a borehole to help her and other farmers overcome the challenge of lack of water.

Museveni rewarded ten more hardworking farmers from Erute South Constituency who had benefited from PDM with Shs1 million each for their efforts in farming and wealth creation.

The First Lady, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports, expressed her pleasure in witnessing the PDM program transform communities. She explained how the initiative was strengthening family bonds by encouraging men and women to work together.

“I am privileged to witness what PDM is doing in villages. It is a nice thing to see families working hand in hand. The women, who were always side-lined in the past, are being joined by husbands in this work. And this will definitely bring change into the lives of their children and further their nation,” she said.

She encouraged women to join hands in financial projects with their husbands and work out projects that assure continuity.

Mrs. Apio, a mother of six and aged 37 years, was all smiles as she said the PDM initiative had changed their family’s living standards since it had improved their livelihood. Standing beside her husband, Ojok Peter Nelson, and their children, she narrated how the PDM had transformed her life from struggling to a better livelihood.

“Life was hard before receiving PDM funds. My children dropped out of school due to lack of fees. When I heard the President talk about PDM on the radio, I decided to apply for funds through our Sacco. I planted three acres of maize, harvested 45 bags and sold 40 at Shs 2.8 million. With this money, I bought 10 sheep, saved Shs1 million for the next planting season and used Shs800,000 for school fees,” Apio recounted.

In 2024, she increased her work and produced more maize and reaped Shs4 million. With that, she bought a piece of land from Amach Town Council at Shs2.7 million and saved Shs1 million for the expansion of the farming area. She said it was because of PDM that life changed and expanded her goal.

The future, she said, was bright, as she was soon to start coffee and dairy farming, besides seeking ways of adding value to her maize produce. She called upon fellow Ugandans to embrace the President’s call for wealth creation by not being blind to changes in life that could change one’s lifestyle.

“I appreciate President Museveni for empowering women and introducing the PDM program. It changed my life,” she said.

The event was attended by ministers, members of parliament, and other leaders who praised the PDM’s positive impact on local communities. Museveni’s visit reinforced the government’s commitment to economic empowerment and self-sufficiency through grassroots initiatives like PDM.