Uganda: Entebbe Teachers Trained On Use of Walimu App to Ease Access to Sacco Loans

A total of 150 teachers in government schools in Entebbe Municipality have been trained on how to use the Walimu App to access Walimu SACCO loans directly through their smartphones. The digital training programme was organized by Entebbe Municipal Council in partnership with Walimu Cooperative Union Ltd.

The Credit Manager at Walimu Cooperative Union Ltd, Paul Oketcho, said that as the union rolls out the second phase of loan disbursement to teachers in government schools, management found it necessary to first equip teachers with the skills to use the app for easier and faster access to SACCO funds. He noted that the training also included onboarding participants onto the platform.

Oketcho explained that the digital system allows teachers to create accounts using their smartphones, input personal details, and apply for loans seamlessly.

He emphasized that the Walimu App is a loan management system designed to help teachers on the government payroll access SACCO loans through Android smartphones. He added that the platform promotes transparency in both loan processing and repayment.

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The National Chairperson of Walimu Cooperative Union Ltd, Stephen Nabende, expressed optimism that the app will significantly improve access to credit for teachers, eliminating the need for paperwork and physical movement between offices.

"This system is crucial because it enables teachers to apply for loans at any time without moving loan forms from one office to another for signatures," Nabende said.

He further noted that increased use of the app could help reduce absenteeism among teachers, which is often linked to movements in search of loan processing approvals.

"The system is a good innovation in loan management because the individual teacher initiates and follows through the loan process until disbursement," he added.

Nabende also highlighted that the digital system would reduce complaints related to unauthorized deductions, since users directly input and verify their loan details.

He expressed confidence that easier access to loans would enable teachers to invest in income-generating activities and improve their economic well-being, while urging municipal authorities to encourage more teachers to adopt the platform.

Teachers Welcome the Walimu App

Teachers who participated in the training welcomed the innovation, saying it would simplify loan access and reduce delays.

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Teddy Nakitende, a teacher at Lake Victoria School, said the app would enable teachers to access loans directly through their digital accounts and eliminate delays associated with manual approvals.

She added that loans from Walimu SACCO had previously enabled her to acquire land, and she now hopes to secure another loan to construct a house.

Another beneficiary, Grace Nakasirye, the headteacher of Chadwick Namate Primary School, said the Walimu App would streamline loan access and help teachers establish side businesses to supplement their income.

She noted that since the introduction of Walimu SACCO, teachers have been able to avoid high-interest money lenders and instead access more affordable credit facilities.

However, she urged fellow teachers to support and uphold the SACCO, saying it has significantly improved her financial stability, enabling her to acquire multiple plots of land through loans.