The Uganda SMU Centre President, Eng. Ian Kyeyune, noted in his remarks that the Uganda SMU Centre began with only seven members and has now grown to thousands. He emphasized that SMU does not provide cash to individuals but instead supports model villages through investments aimed at fostering community development, such as the Kayunga Model Village in Uganda.
Eng. Kyeyune highlighted the values of cooperation, diligence, and self-reliance, drawing a parallel to the Korean approach of “teaching people how to fish” rather than merely giving them fish. He urged participants to adopt and teach these principles within their families.
He expressed satisfaction that SMU is now attracting youth, whom he described as critical to development. He encouraged the use of interactive activities, such as games, to engage young people in SMU initiatives.
Furthermore, he stressed the importance of focusing on value addition, citing examples from Korea and China, where development began with family-based industries and factories. He also called on participants to reflect on time wasted on unproductive activities and to apply the lessons learned during the training to benefit their communities.
The Mpigi Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Francis Robert Kabuye, officiated the training and, in his closing remarks, expressed gratitude to the leadership of NFLC for partnering with SMU and to the participants for actively engaging in the training.
He highlighted that SMU complements government programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Financial Agricultural Facilities, and Small Business Recovery Funds. He assured participants that RDCs are available to provide support whenever needed.
Mr. Kabuye emphasized the importance of self-help and self-reliance, reminding participants that community development begins with individual effort. He thanked SMU for establishing eight model villages and reassured attendees of the government’s commitment to sustaining such initiatives without interruptions.
He also challenged participants to consider how the knowledge gained during the training can positively impact their families and communities. He encouraged them to adopt a developmental mindset rather than focusing solely on financial gains.
