On 3^rd May 2010, Mid North Private Sector Development Company Ltd signed a grants agreement for implementation of Data Service Centre Project.

The MD/Chief Of Party Ms Susan Corning asserted that USAID/LEAD has goals and targets to meet therefore the need for partner organizations to fit in and continue with sustainability of the objectives to improve the value chain. She stressed that the DSC should strive towards self sustainability by June 2013 and its subsequent duplication to other regions in Uganda for extending financial services to the farmers.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Director asserted that partners should make it happen. Grants management that should be based on WP must have a clear system of accountability and following a well laid procurement procedures Partners should document best practices and lessons learnt.

On the part of Mid North Private Sector Development Company, Mr. Julius Peter Moto, CEO stressed that as part of Mid-North strategic goal of provision of financial services to the rural producers, the DSC shall enable capacity creation and provision of timely information to SACCO management and different categories of information users.

He asserts that youth share many of the problems the general population experience in small business development, such as the lack of business and management skills and abilities,  inadequate,  inaccurate or non-existent financial  records, an  inability  to cope effectively with fluctuating costs and prices, and  taking  too much money  from  the business  for personal uses.  In addition, many young men and women have limited language and communication skills, as well as poor education which can affect their ability to deal with numbers (e.g.: book-keeping and stock-control), as well as face the challenge of their age, limited life and work experiences; limited financial resources, limited business networks and contacts, limited exposure to relevant role models, and age discrimination.

Furthermore, young people also often lack the necessary skills to develop their business ideas, such as performing a market analysis,  differentiating their product or service from the competition, preparing cash-flow statements and bookkeeping.

Down load the book let for starting up your own business. The book let introduces to you how to start a business, and contains about 145 business ideas in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing/processing and services.

Mid North PSDC wishes to thank the management of WENIPS for the support extended so far.

The baseline is that the economy of mid north area is returning to full throtle after more than 10 years of the armed conflict which saw many people being forced out of their farmlands to Internally Displaced peoples camps. Rural Households are unable to afford the main power grid. However, there are increased use of mini solar panels for productive uses such as mobile phone charging. The cost of acquiring solar panels are still prohibitive. There are no private suppliers of solar panels in the area nor are there any financing mechanism in place.

The team then proceeded to visit Centenary Rural Development Bank Branch in Lira and the new Uganda Microfinance Limited based on the recommendation of Mid North. All in all, a small pilot project is foreseen in 2009 after an MOU is signed betwee Mid north and GTZ on the subject.

SUSTAIN II aims to provide access to financial services through Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) to 100,000 people through 300 VSLAs by 2010. The project value is Shs194,000,000. The duration of the project is two years beginning May 2008 ending June 2010.

The project focuses on village level savings and credit associations. A total of 18 sub counties shall be targeted i.e. 14 in Lira and 4 in Oyam. The project has employed 2 Supervisors and 18 Community Based Trainers/Advisors. The 18 Advisers live and work in the sub counties.

In Lira, the sub counties being targeted are Orum, Adwari, Okwang, Olilim, Aromo, Ogur, Amac, Barr, Railways, Abako, Aloi, Apala, Omoro and Amugo.

While in Oyam District two sub counties to be targeted are Minakullu, Iceme, Ngai and Otwal.

Major Activities:

• Mobilization and awareness meetings for district local leaders and communities.
• Recruitment of staff and CBTS.
• Training of Trainers for project staff and CBTs.
• Mobilization, formation and training of VSLAs.
• Monitoring and follow up of groups.
• Data collection, documentation and dissemination.
• Exchange visits for both project staff and groups.