FROM FISHERMAN TO LIVESTOCK FARMER: HOW PDM CHANGED EDOU’S LIFE

At 40 years old, Edou Moses, a resident of Lalle Sub County in Soroti District, speaks with renewed hope about the future of his large family of 11 children.

Just a year ago, Edou depended solely on fishing and owned only one sheep.

Today, thanks to the Parish Development Model (PDM), his livestock has multiplied, and his children’s lives have started to change.

In October last year, Edou received Shs 1 million under the government’s PDM program — a poverty eradication initiative aimed at improving livelihoods at the grassroots level through revolving funds.

“I decided to invest all the money in sheep,” says Moses, standing beside his kraal. “I bought seven sheep some at Shs 120,000 and others at Shs 130,000. I believed they would multiply quickly, and they did.”

True to his expectations, the flock began to grow. Within months, his seven sheep had multiplied to seventeen. Edou beams with pride as he counts them, except for two that he sold recently.

“I had to sell two to raise school fees for my children last term, who are studying in Agora Secondary School,” he explains. “They were going back to school, and I didn’t want them to miss out.”

Before joining PDM, Moses’ main source of income was fishing an uncertain and seasonal trade. He says the income was not reliable, and feeding, clothing, and educating his large family was an uphill task.

“There were days I would return from the lake with nothing,” he recalls. “And with just one sheep, there wasn’t much to fall back on.”

Now, Edou is optimistic that his investment in livestock will continue to pay off. He plans to grow the flock to at least thirty and start selling regularly to support his family’s needs, including education, food, and health care.

I no longer depend only on fishing,” he says proudly. “The sheep have become my new source of income, and I am seeing the difference in our lives

“I thank the government for PDM. It has changed my life,” he says. “I now have a stable source of income, and I am not afraid of the future.”

As the sheep graze in the background, he watches over them with the contentment of a man who has found a path out of poverty one hoof at a time.

Edou’s story is a reflection of how small investments through PDM are beginning to make a big difference in the lives of rural families.

Ends

By Abraham Ekwaru, Communication Officer Soroti