
Experts and researchers have called on the Ugandan government to enhance the sensitization of Ugandans on the Parish Development Model (PDM) pillars in urban centers, if it is to fully achieve its target of eradicating poverty. A recent study investigating the PDM's impact, specifically on poor urban households in Uganda's capital city, carried out by the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA), showed that many women have benefitted from PDM more than men in Kampala.
Speaking during a workshop held on 12th December at Hotel Africana that was aimed at releasing findings from the research, Dr. Maria Nantongo, the research’s Principal Investigator and a lecturer at Makerere University Business School, noted that the findings will inform future decisions on how to improve or redesign the PDM for better outcomes. “PDM has improved household incomes and enabled people to increase expenditure on household items; buy food and take their children to school. It has also increased working capital among the beneficiaries’ Dr. Nantongo highlighted.
The research focused on evaluating the impact of PDM on key poverty indicators, analyzing its effects on vulnerable groups such as women, youth and the poorest households, as well as investigating how the decentralized delivery model empowered urban communities to make decisions that could uplift them out of poverty. Dr. Nantongo added that the infusion of working capital enabled beneficiaries to invest in small-scale businesses and improve their financial standing. This progress was specifically visible in the rural areas, where many households saw a reduction in poverty levels as a result of their participation in the program.
However, the benefits were not equally distributed, and further effort is needed to ensure that the most marginalized groups, such as women and youth, fully benefit from the model. The research revealed a significant knowledge gap regarding the full scope of PDM, with critics arguing that the program’s focus on financial inclusion has overshadowed its other pillars.
The research highlighted the community mobilization pillar as a critical aspect that requires attention. Experts agreed with these findings and emphasized that it should be a priority, expressing the importance of educating local populations about the PDM program’s opportunities. By addressing this knowledge gap, PDM can unlock its full potential and benefit more communities.
During the workshop, Kampala Central Mayor Salim Uhuru welcomed the timely research findings, emphasizing that they highlighted critical gaps in the perception and implementation of the PDM. He underscored the need to address misconceptions, particularly among men who avoid government programs due to political biases, noting that this reluctance results in missed opportunities. “PDM has outperformed other government programs in improving the livelihood of our people, especially in Kampala” Mayor Salim said.
The workshop which convened a range of stakeholders including policymakers, agribusiness experts, NGOs and PDM representatives served as a platform to discuss these issues and find ways to improve the implementation of the PDM program.
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