This article is by Irene Naikaali Ssentongo and originally ran in Watchdog Uganda.
When His Excellency the President launched the Parish Development Model (PDM) in 2022, The Hunger Project Uganda was not only excited—it was ready. The model’s core pillars closely mirrored our own proven approach to ending hunger and poverty: household-level leadership, empowerment, and mindset transformation.
Since 1999, The Hunger Project Uganda has worked with communities to create sustainable, grassroots solutions to poverty and hunger. We are proud that some of our best practices are now being used to reinforce and scale government efforts through the PDM.
Next week, the Global Board of The Hunger Project will visit Uganda to witness this unique partnership between non-state actors and government in action. They will focus on how collaborative models like ours are sustaining progress on wealth creation, ending poverty, and promoting food security.
Their visit will include Northern Uganda, a region still recovering from the scars of conflict. In Nwoya District, we already operate an Epicenter, and a new one is underway in Amuru District, Lakang Subcounty. These Epicenters complement the PDM by providing integrated, community-owned spaces where transformation happens.
Each Epicenter is designed as a one-stop hub, housing a Health Center III, an early childhood learning center, a village bank, food stores, and a community hall where development plans are shaped by the people themselves.
Since 2022, Amuru District has received about UGX 17 billion for household-level development under the PDM. Lakang Subcounty has four parishes and in total receives about UGX 400 million annually, with beneficiaries receiving UGX 1 million each per cycle. But access to funds alone is not enough—utilization is key.
That’s where The Hunger Project’s impact in Lakang has been critical. We have cultivated a network of trained community leaders who manage Epicenter activities and lead local transformation. Through our Vision, Commitment, and Action (VCA) framework, these leaders undergo training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, business modeling, and leadership—all grounded in mindset change.
To continue reading, visit Watchdog Uganda.
Irene Naikaali Ssentongo
Country Director,
The Hunger Project – Uganda
Photos: Uganda 2023 © The Hunger Project