The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has launched a nationwide livelihood programme aimed at expanding social security coverage to Uganda's informal sector, starting in Busale, Kayunga District.
The programme was officially unveiled by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi, alongside the State Minister for Finance in charge of Planning, Amos Lugolobi, NSSF Managing Director Patrick Ayota, and NSSF Board Chairperson David Ogong.
The leaders emphasized the need to strengthen productivity, boost incomes, and create a practical pathway for informal sector workers to adopt a saving culture and secure their future.
NSSF's mandate includes extending social security beyond the formal sector into communities where most economic activity takes place, particularly within the informal sector.
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The programme aims to enable individuals to produce, earn, and grow their savings by integrating them into a broader system of economic growth, productivity, and financial resilience.
Under the initiative, the Fund will support organized groups by enhancing their productive capacity through the provision of equipment and training, ultimately improving their ability to save consistently.
While launching the programme at Busale Technical Institute, Minister Amongi applauded the institution's leadership for establishing a vocational training facility that equips young people with practical skills, noting that it provides a strong foundation for partnerships with NSSF.
She reaffirmed the government's commitment to extending social security to the informal sector, where the majority of Ugandans earn their livelihoods.
"This programme is a deliberate effort to address key challenges faced by informal workers, including limited access to affordable financing and modern equipment, which constrain productivity and competitiveness," Amongi said.
She added that the introduction of shared production facilities will enable artisans to improve output, access markets more easily, and generate sustainable incomes, while also encouraging a culture of saving through NSSF.
The nationwide livelihood programme will be rolled out to other parts of the country, including Lira, Sheema, and Mitooma. It will provide shared production equipment such as sewing machines, fish processing units, concrete block-making machines, and coffee processing equipment, all to be managed by local communities.
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