Records from the Community Development Office show that 24 beneficiaries died before they received the money in the first phase of the program in June 2020.
Elders under the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE)
have passed on in Lira before receiving their stipend.
Through SAGE, the government gives out a monthly stipend of 25,000
Shillings to persons aged above eighty in different parts of the country.
Records from the Lira Community Development Office show that 24 beneficiaries
died before they received the money in the first phase of the program in June
2020.
By November 2020, 13 out of the 2,029 elders who were supposed to be
paid in the second phase of the program died before receiving their money.
Christine Anono, the District Senior Community Development
Officer, says that her office is still compiling records for this year. She
explains that the age bracket is high for the sub-region, a reason why beneficiaries
die before receiving their money.
According to Anono, there is a need to lower the age bracket to enable the elderly
to receive the money and cover their financial needs.
//Cue in: “Some potential beneficiaries…
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Other challenges facing the program in the region are beneficiaries not having
national IDs and long distances to the bank.
Geto Amule, a 90-year-old beneficiary from Apoka Parish in Ogur Sub County appealed
to the authorities to change her location point of receiving the payment
because the distance is too long for her to walk.
Luo byte:
//Cue in: “Aman dang atye…
Cue out: ... room tuno kan.”//
Prosper Muhumuza Byonanebye, the commissioner in-charge disability
and elderly in Uganda said the elder's next of kin can collect the payment on
their behalf.
//Cue in: “We have an option…
Cue out: ... are extremely sick.”//
Maxwell Odongo, the SAGE Regional Technical support unit coordinator
assured the elders that several payment points have been created within their
localities.
//Cue in: “You would go…
Cue out: ... get it again.”//
Dominic Mafwabi Gidudu, the State Minister for Elderly Affairs advised the
elderly to observe strict adherence to COVID-19 standard operating
procedures- SOPs.
