On the International Women’s day celebrations this year, president Museveni promised that the programme of the Senior Citizens Grant (SAGE) providing monthly grants to elderly persons above 80 years would officially be rolled out in the entire country. the progamme started in 2010 in 15 districts as a pilot study and to date it was only enrolled in 64 districts.
However Hon. Frank Tumwebaze the minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development has today commenced a nationwide roll out of the entire programme at a function at the Kabarole district headquarters.
The SAGE programme was extended by the government of Uganda in November 2018 to carter for elderly persons above the age of 80 in all the 135 districts of Uganda. All the elderly persons must be have a valid national ID for them to qualify for the grant. However before the programme was rolled out it cartered for elderly persons below the age of 75 and the age was only changed in November 2018. The Minister however clarified that all the elderly persons who were previously receiving the grant would continue to receive it even if they not yet 80 years.
The programme has been able to have 358,420 older persons in the 135 districts of Uganda. Although the pay out amount of Ugx 25,000 was supposed to commence in March, it was hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic because people were not able to register and enroll for the programme, therefore benefiacries will now receive Ugx 150,000 as a pay out from Janaury to June.
“With this money, older persons are able to meet the basic needs and access to basic services. this way governmebt ensures that older persosn who now have limited access to work are not left to live in destitution and undignified lives,” Tumwebaze said.
The programme was allocated a budget of Ugx 62.88 Billion for this financial year while Ugx 107 billion has been earmarked in next year’s budget to carter for more beneficiaries of the programme. This will ensure the sustainability of the programme.