Editorial
The Archdiocese of Mbarara Development Association (AMDA), a body of Catholics from the Archdiocese of Mbarara living in Kampala, has set a fundraising target of Shs600 million for a poverty alleviation and community empowerment campaign in Kyamwiru Parish, Rubirizi District.
The 13th annual AMDA caravan is scheduled for September 2027. It will focus on improving livelihoods in Kyamwiru, one of the poorest communities in the Archdiocese.
Speaking at a Partners Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday evening, AMDA Chairperson Chris Gumisiriza said the parish was chosen because of the contrast between its poverty and its economic potential.
It lies near Queen Elizabeth National Park, which generates significant tourism revenue, and has fertile volcanic soils suited to agriculture, yet widespread poverty persists.
The intervention will combine medical outreach with practical livelihood support. Planned activities include agricultural demonstrations, distribution of farm inputs, vocational skills training and equipment to help residents start and sustain income-generating activities. People with skills such as carpentry and baking will receive tools so they can turn those skills into steady income.
AMDA also plans empowerment talks and community training sessions, supported by radio programs to extend the campaign beyond direct beneficiaries.
More than 20000 Targeted
The 2027 caravan targets more than 5,000 direct beneficiaries, with over 20,000 people expected to benefit from empowerment messages broadcast on radio and shared during community training.
The Shs600 million budget will cover the medical camp, poverty alleviation demonstrations, vocational training, agricultural support, equipment and logistics in the relatively remote parish.
The Archbishop of Mbarara, the Most Rev. Lambert Bainomugisha, commended AMDA for the successful 2026 caravan in Nyabwina Parish, Sheema District. He said it showed what the Church can achieve when its members unite in love, generosity and service to vulnerable communities.
The 2027 caravan is expected to build on earlier AMDA interventions by pairing healthcare with economic empowerment to promote sustainable livelihoods across the Archdiocese.