By Joseph Muyingo
What started as a small poultry venture supported through the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) empowerment programme has grown into a thriving agribusiness employing local residents and generating millions of shillings in income.
Mr. Waswa Abdul Karim Tamale, a resident of Kitukutwe Village in Kira Municipality, is among beneficiaries whose lives have been transformed through the initiative. After receiving 200 chicks and poultry feed support in 2023, the farmer has expanded his enterprise to more than 7,000 chickens in just three years.
His progress was showcased during a monitoring visit by the Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, who toured beneficiary projects to assess impact and performance.
Standing among rows of poultry houses on his two-acre farm, Mr. Waswa reflected on the journey from a small startup to a commercial operation.
“I began with only 200 chicks. Today, I manage over 7,000 chickens and earn approximately Shs12 million every 35 days. This project has changed my life and improved my family’s welfare,” he said.
Beyond poultry production, Mr. Waswa has adopted an integrated farming model that supports sustainability and reduces production costs. He grows maize used in feed production and maintains a banana plantation where poultry manure serves as organic fertiliser.
The model has created a cycle of efficiency—feeding the birds while improving crop yields and reducing dependence on external inputs.
The enterprise has also become a source of employment within the community. Currently, the farm supports 16 workers, including permanent staff managing poultry operations and additional workers involved in supporting activities.
Mr. Waswa credited discipline, proper management, and commitment for the rapid growth of the business and expressed appreciation to ONC and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for providing the initial support that enabled him to establish a sustainable source of income.
Looking ahead, he revealed plans to diversify into layers production to expand his operations further. He also highlighted one major challenge—manual feed preparation—and appealed for support to acquire a feed-mixing machine.
Responding to the request, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo pledged assistance toward acquiring the machine, saying it would increase efficiency and support further expansion.
She commended Mr. Waswa for demonstrating how government empowerment initiatives can deliver tangible economic change when beneficiaries effectively utilise the support provided.
According to Hajjat Namyalo, such success stories reflect the broader objective of government wealth-creation programmes—to move households from subsistence living into productive participation in the money economy.
She encouraged young people to embrace agriculture as a business opportunity and thanked President Museveni for championing initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods across the country.
The monitoring exercise forms part of ONC’s continued efforts to track progress, document success stories, and ensure government interventions deliver measurable impact to communities.
