dfcu bank in health and sanitation drive
dfcu bank recently built a 10 unit latrine block exclusively for the girl pupils at St Peters primary School Nsambya.
As part of a 3 year partnership deal worth Shs 190 million signed by dfcu and Water Aid Uganda to improve sanitation and promote a healthier environment in which the community can develop, dfcu bank recently built a 10 unit latrine block exclusively for the girl pupils at St Peters primary School Nsambya.
This is part of dfcu’s long standing goal to improve livelihoods of the communities through initiating different projects that are beneficial in the areas they operate.
“We (dfcu) attribute our success to the support from the indigenous communities. This is why all our CSR activities are geared towards giving them a hand-up through sustainable projects like this. We focused on this project because it provides a foundation on which a strong and healthy community can thrive once issues like health and disease are eliminated.” Said Wilbrod Owor at the commissioning of the toilets
The toilet block also holds two units that will be used as changing rooms for the older girls who have already started menstruating to further give them the comfort and privacy they need to maintain good personal hygiene.
At 104 years, St Peters Primary school Nsambya is one of the well performing UPE schools in Kampala and hopes to continue this trend if only it can meet with the need for more facilities for the ever expanding number of pupils that is so far peaked at 3,100 pupils.
This is one of the many health and education projects that dfcu bank has so far contributed to this year. In July this year, dfcu contributed over 150 mama kits worth over 13 million to health camps in Bududa to ease safe motherhood and child delivery in the disaster struck area. Dfcu has also so far built a Public flush toilet and 30 Water Jars in Ojwina Division in Lira Municipal Council and donated 10 Water jars and a one toilet facility in Oli Division Enyau cell and Muwala Community cell in Arua Municipal as part of the 190 million shilling project with Water Aid.
dfcu holds SME forum in Kawempe
Dfcu Bank one the fastest growing banks in Uganda continues to expand its Geographical Horizons in order to avail convenience to all their customers as well as to tap into the larger unbanked population who have no access to banking halls. As such, dfcu opened a branch in Kawempe in July of this year making it the 25th Branch of the Bank that already has a foothold in most of the major towns across the country including Mbarara, Kitgum, Mbale, Gulu and Arua.
On Wednesday October 13th 2010, dfcu hosted the top 150 businessmen and entrepreneurs in Kawempe to an SME forum at TICK hotel Kawempe. This was in part to officially launch to them the new dfcu Kawempe Branch but also as part of an ongoing dfcu project to develop and grow SMEs in the country th`rough dispensing of free knowledge on better investment techniques, opportunities and tips on how to manage businesses.
Similar projects include the Women in Business Forum that dfcu hosted earlier this year targeting women entrepreneurs and the Investment Club Forums that dfcu has hosted so far twice this year at different locations for their investment club members to empower them on sound business decisions. The Kawempe SME Forum was organized to bring Kawempe business people together, welcome them to the dfcu family as well as get some insight on what as a community, they expect from their banking institution.
Dfcu later treated the forum attendees to a cocktail where they mingled and networked with each other and also got a chance to meet with the rest of the dfcu relationship managers who supplied them with further information about other opportunities that the bank has to offer.
dfcu donates 200 iron sheets to Kiseeka Market
This donation came in the spirit of helping out a friend in need because when the trader’s businesses are in distress, so is the bank.” Said Damalie Mukiibi, Head of SME banking.
Traders welcome the dfcu team to the market
After a market fire that destroyed many stalls in Kiseeka Market, the dfcu William Street Branch staged an intervention by donating about 200 iron sheets worth 5 million to the traders as they seek to rebuild their market.
The fire that broke out in the wee hours of Monday (23rd Sep) morning in Kiseeka Market Block U saw over a billion shillings worth of property destroyed while others lost millions of liquid cash left many traders without a livelihood.
The 200 Iron sheets were handed over to the Kiseeka Market Chairman Mr. Kisembo Robert by the head of SME banking Ms. Damalie Mukiibi, much to the excitement of the traders who immediately got to work fixing some of the iron sheets on the still open roof.
“We are committed to working with you all to make sure that this reconstruction happens, but more importantly we shall work with the individual businesses to assist in making sure that you rebuild what you lost.” Said Mukiibi.
Traders carry the iron sheets
Mr. Kisembo commended dfcu bank for coming in to offer a hand and for not turning their backs to the traders in this time of need. Mukiibi said that dfcu would continue to support the traders even after then and that they could always walk into the bank premises and take advantage of the various products that dfcu had to offer as they go about restructuring their livelihoods.
She lauded the efforts of the traders for putting aside their grief and immediately setting out to rebuild and reconstruct the market.
The block under construction
Reconstruction of the market is already underway and many of the trades are hands on with the restructuring whether it is to build the stalls, mix the cement or clearing of the debris that was left behind after the fire.
dfcu Intervenes in Maternal Health in Bududa
Six months after the devastation that affected hundreds of people in Bududa rendering them to IDP camps, Dfcu Bank on July 12th and 13th decided to intervene in the still hapless conditions of the people that dwell in the Internally Displaced People’s camps. The bank held a number of activities at the Bukigai IDP camps to address of the plight of women and children.
With the help of the District Health Officer Dr. Gideon Wanembu and some senior midwives, dfcu bank conducted a training workshop for over 70 midwives and Traditional Birth Attendants in the region where they were taught safe child delivery practices and also issues pertaining to Mother to Child Transmission of HIV. Mobile clinics for voluntary HIV testing and immunization were also set up at the camp to make it easy for mothers and camp dwellers who cannot access these services at main health centers and hospital.
The Safe Motherhood training course was geared towards creating a strong and healthy community by reducing on infant mortality rates in Bududa. Later dfcu handed over 200 mama kits to expectant mothers in the area to aid in the rigors of child birth which included nappies, birth sheets, cord ligature, receiving sheets, disinfectant, soap, Vaseline and many other things.
“The devastation in Bududa early this year hampered the means of mothers in the area to earn income that would help buy necessary items to assist with childbirth. The mama kit is to help out the mothers with the necessities as they work to rebuild their lives and their sources of income.” Said Wilbrod Owor the head of Consumer Banking at dfcu. He went on to say that the bank owes it success to the support of the local communities and as such tailor most of their initiatives to boost the livelihoods and productivity of the members in these communities.
As part of her business ethos, dfcu bank regularly contributes to social causes, with a goal of improving human standards, in the communities where it operates. This is done through supporting a series of social concerns in a number of key identified sectors including Education, Health, environment and Sanitation.
Dr. Gideon Wanembu during the training of the nurses and Traditional Birth Attendants.
Nurses and traditional birth attendants being taken through the one day refresher course on safe birth methods to help curb the infant mortality rate. They were also imparted with skills on how to avoid mother to child transmission of HIV.
An excited nurse raises her certificate in celebration after the training.
The midwives and TBA’s pose with their certificates after the training.
A pregnant 17 year old who came to the health camp to benefit from the mama bag kits. This is Kakai’s second child having given birth to her first child at 14 years.
Kakai and her 22 year old sister who also came to receive immunization for her child. She already has 4 children and plans on stopping at just four but does not have any knowledge on family planning services or where she can access them.
Wilbrod Owor the Head Consumer Banking DFCU handing over donation items to Zipolah Wamoto the head midwife at Bukigai Health Center in Bududa including 200 mama bag kits for expectant mothers in the camps and some clothes and utensils donated by dfcu and dfcu staff. Looking on are Philip Oundo (2-L), the dfcu Mbale branch Manager, the area OC and a Red Cross Official.
Wilbrod addressing some of the women in the antenatal care tent. He urges them to be vigilant and monitor their children’s’ health so that they can grow up to be strong citizens who will look after them and who will hopefully ‘get jobs with dfcu bank’.
Wilbrod Owor, the Head of Consumer banking dfcu Bank demonstrates to women in the Bukigai camp in Bududa a bag containing the Mama kit needed by pregnant women for safe delivery of babies with such essentials as cord ligature, razorblade, cotton wool, disinfectant, birth sheet and warm receiving baby sheets. This was during the bank’s visit to the Bakigai IDP camp in Bududa over the weekend where they donated over 200 such mama kits to expectant mothers in the camp as part of the bank’s commitment to community development programs like maternal and child health.
Meet Kwaga Judith, mother of eight. She is eight months pregnant with her 9th child. Her husband perished in the March 1st Bududa landslides. The Mama Bag Kit will go a long way on ensuring that she has a safe delivery and that her hew born baby is warm and protected against Malaria with the Mosquito net she received together with the kids
Some of the midwives that took part in the training program seated near the donated items as they take some of the mothers through some health checks.
Women turned up in droves to immunize their children.
A baby is weighed in at the immunization tent while some women pick up health check forms from the official.
A father carries his malnourished child at the camp.
Some of the camp shelters that are home to hundreds of families
The LC Chairman (C) of the area shows Aaron Aguma (dfcu marketing and communications officer (L) and Phillip Oundo (dfcu Branch Manager Mbale) around the camp.
A camp dweller prepares a meal from a makeshift kitchen right outside her tent.
Another one cooks outside
What next? A man seems to ponder seated outside his tent on the day of the dfcu visit to the area.
Children play inside one of the tents. A small tent like this can accommodate sometimes a family of up to 8 members.
A family goes on with life at the camp
All the suffering and yet some people can still smile.
Children watch a UNICEF truck stuck in the mud in the distance
Dr. Gideon Wanembu during the training of the nurses and Traditional Birth Attendants.
Update on Investment Club Forum presentations
Hello,
Following overwhelming response to the previous post in which we attached Mr. Charles Ocici’s presentation at the second Investment Club Forum held at Serena Hotel early this month, we have made good on our promise to avail Mr. Peter Kimbowa’s presentation from the first forum.
Peter Kimbowa was the first guest presenter at the inaugural Investment Cub Forum at the Golf Course Hotel in February where he gave a very insightful overview on Investment Clubs, the challenges, the remedies for these and the opportunities.
Investment Clubs could pave way for big brands
This is the bold proclamation made by Mr. Charles Ocici the MD Enterprise Uganda in a private interview after addressing members of the dfcu Investment Clubs gathered at Serena Hotel on Saturday July 10th 2010 for the second Investment Club Forum. He stands firm in this belief that there is strength in numbers and with good governance and guidance, Investment Clubs have the potential to develop into big brands such as Zain.
“Investment clubs are platforms for Ugandans to create brand names and businesses that go beyond individuals, because individuals do not create lasting enterprises.” The superiority of forming an investment club is that every member of the club brings different and unique talents, different roles and skills to the table and this Ocici says is the way to create a solid team and according to him, a solid team, is a solid brand.
Well, Ocici has been in the entrepreneurship business for a long time and runs a successful company imparting such knowledge to budding business managers on a daily basis and therefore when he speaks you better listen.
Mr. Ocici was the key speaker at the dfcu organized event that seeks to help our customers achieve full potential. Holding these investment forums regularly is born from our desire to see our customers succeed because simply advancing financial facilities to our customers without guidance is not sufficient enough.
The dfcu Women in Business Investment Club Account
As a bank that focuses on empowering women, dfcu’s WIB program was launched in 2007 as a means to create a business enabling environment for women entrepreneurs, with a special focus on Small and Medium Enterprises.
The dfcu Investment Club Account allows women entrepreneurs (both existing and potential) to pool their savings and take advantage of opportunities like the unsecured Club Loan and access to financial literacy training.
An Eye Opener
Though the dfcu Investment Club account is under the umbrella of the WIB program, the account is not exclusive to women. We have several clubs that benefit from having both male and female members. Men too are free to open up the dfcu Investment Club savings account on their own.
Investment Clubs – Getting Started
Recruitment
Recruit responsible, reliable people who are eager to learn. An investment club is only as strong as its membership.
Administration
Setting up an investment club is a real task. It requires setting up a bank account, drawing up a constitution /Byelaws. (The dfcu investment club toolkit provides you with Byelaws that offer guidelines on the issues to look out for at inception)
Learning
Even before researching individual investments, members of an investment club should familiarize themselves with different investing options and ideas on a regular basis.
Research
Finally, individual members need to develop a ‘researching’ culture where each member of the club makes monthly or quarterly recommendations on new investment ideas.
6 tips for a successful investment club
1. Live by your bye laws/constitution – To avoid disagreements.
2. Share the work – To create teamwork.
3. Stay focused – On the goals and objectives
4. Educate each other – By sharing ideas & knowledge
5. Take action – By dealing with problems immediately
Lastly but more importantly
6. Lighten up – Choose members you will enjoy having fun with.
So How Do Investment Clubs Work?
When you are part of an investment club, each club member contributes a certain amount of money each month to the investment club account. Then, using the account, the members of the club agree on where to invest their savings: purchase of land with intention to sell at a profit, shares, rental property, businesses etc.
An investment club account is NOT a gifting circle or pyramid scheme which keeps recruiting members with the purpose of crediting the accounts of recruiters and is illegal in Uganda. Thousands of people have lost money in such schemes. This is one account that has a minimum of three signatories. Members agree on a monthly contribution based on their disposable income. Members also sign a constitution or bye-laws governing their investment club. The sole purpose of an investment club account is to save money for the purpose of future investment
Investment Clubs – An Overview
History
Investment clubs are a group of individuals who pool their money together to make investments. However, the idea in itself isn’t new; since the 1800s, people have found investment clubs to be an ideal way to spread their risks. One of the major reasons why people should join investment clubs is to learn how to save for investment purposes.
Today
In Uganda today, there is a general growth trend in the desire to investment both for short term and long term. Investment Clubs are acting as a channel to enable members pool their money together to increase their buying power, share their collective knowledge, and network. Some investments that members engage in include: – purchase of land with intention to sell at a profit, shares, rental property, businesses etc.
Advantages of Investment Clubs:
- They are the easy and economical entities to form, operate and maintain
- The club’s income and losses are passed through to its members
- Investment clubs are also a terrific way to learn, make valuable contacts, and meet people with similar interests.
- Some clubs have made fortunes for their members.
