BY Hillary Keingana
BUSHENYI/MBARARA: Christians and well-wishers from St.Kagwa deanary on Sunday raised over Shs400million during a fundraising drive for Archdiocese of Mbarara’s Development Foundation (AMDEF) projects.
The function was held at St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, Kitabi in Bushenyi District. The money collected will be used to fund the foundation’s development programmes, including the construction of major commercial and social infrastructure, such as the Archdiocesan multi-billion-shilling mega arcade in Mbarara City that is estimated at shs 12billion, which will also house the Centenary Bank Mbarara City Branch.
The Minister of Water and Environment, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, who was the Chief Guest commended the Catholic Church for complementing government efforts in education, healthcare, and socio-economic development through its various institutions and community initiatives.
“The Catholic Church has greatly supported government programmes through its schools, health facilities, and income-generating projects. Such initiatives are essential as Uganda works towards attaining middle-income status by 2040,” Otafiire said.
The project is expected to generate a steady income to support church activities and community development programmes.
The Archbishop of Mbarara, His Grace Lambert Bainomugisha, said the Archdiocese established AMDEF to mobilise and pool resources for sustainable development across the region.
“We started this initiative to build a strong foundation for the future of our Archdiocese through investments in education, health, leadership development, and church infrastructure,” Bainomugisha said.
He applauded Christians from St. Kaggwa Deanery for their commitment to the initiative, noting that the deanery pioneered the campaign last year.
Bainomugisha said the fundraising campaign has so far covered the Archdiocese’s 14 districts and Kampala, raising about Shs3billion to finance various development projects.
Eng. Dr. Silver Mugisha, the Head of Laity for the Archdiocese of Mbarara and Managing Director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), urged Christians and church leaders to continue supporting the foundation.
“The generosity shown by Christians demonstrates their commitment to building a self-reliant Church capable of transforming communities through sustainable development. The money that was supporting the catholic church from outside countries reduced so the ArchBishop together with the team came up with that idea so that we can setup institutions that can help the church financially forexample during COVID19 some of the churches were soon closing due to lack of money.,” Mugisha said.
He noted that he was the first Vice Chairman of the AMDEF project that started last year and that they have so far collected Sh3billion that are in UNITRUST bank.
“We are also discussing as part of AMDEF project to fight poverty through household income in families by giving them coffee, cocoa and hass avocado plants to plant because when people are developed, they can sustain the church,” Mugisha explained.
He commended the faithful for embracing the initiative, saying the resources mobilised will strengthen the Archdiocese’s projects.
Hundreds of Christians that come from the five parishes of St Kagwa Deanary attended the fundraising function, which forms part of the Archdiocese’s ongoing campaign to mobilise resources for long-term community and church development. End.
