A visually impaired woman in Kasese district has defied all the odds and joined Uganda’s money economy.

Biira Pelucy, the Chairperson of Persons With Disabilities in Kasese Municipality discovered her fortunes shortly after being supported by the government through the Parish Development Model, PDM program.

Biira, once a beggar, now runs a thriving poultry business with 750 chickens at her home in Kasese, making millions of shillings from the enterprise.

On Monday, 12th April, 2025, Biira shocked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who had visited her farm when she expressed gratitude to government for wholesomely powering her social transformation.

Museveni who kicked off his tour of Rwenzori sub region to assess the implementation of Parish Development Model and other wealth creation programs said Biira’s story is a testament to self-reliance and household income generation which the government has long advocated for.

Biira got Shs1Million from PDM in 2023 and immediately ventured into poultry keeping, a move that delivered her financial difficulty.

To escalate her changes, her warermeter was removed due to non-payment, forcing her to rely on water purchased from neighbors or National Water standpoints. In response, the President said he had instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to develop a plan to address rural water shortages.

“I used to be a beggar. Now, I can manage my needs, take care of my treatment, and run a business that gives me dignity,” she explained to President.

Museveni emphasized that government programs like PDM and Emyooga are designed to uplift ordinary Ugandans from poverty and that the funds belong to the people.

“If you don’t follow up on this money and use it, you’re not only failing yourselves, but also the government that wants to get you out of poverty,” he said.

President Museveni also contributed Shs20 million to Biira to help her fence her poultry farm and purchase a means of transport for her business.

“This has been my message since the 1960s in Nyabushozi. I advised people in Ankole to settle down and rear dairy cows. Later, we included this in the 1996 NRM Manifesto through the Four-Acre Model: one acre for coffee, another for fruits, the third for pasture, the fourth for food, and backyard poultry. Those near swamps should also do fish farming,” he noted.