A total of 150 teachers in government schools in Entebbe municipality have been trained on use of Walimu App to access Walimu SACCO loans through their smart phones. The digital training program was organized by Entebbe Municipal council in partnership with Wallimu Cooperative Union Ltd.
The Credit manager at Walimu Cooperative Union Ltd, Paul Oketcho, said as the union rolls out it’s second phase of giving out loans to teachers particularly in government schools, management deemed it necessary to first train teachers on how to use Walimu App to quickly access loans from the SACCO fund. He said the training was followed by onboarding teachers on the Walimu App.
Oketcho noted that the digital platform only requires a teacher to open up an account using his/her smart phone, followed by the teacher’s details and finally signing up to obtain a loan.
Oketcho emphasized that Walimu App is a loan management system that helps teachers on government payroll to easily access loans from Walimu SACCO through their Android smart phones . He, however reiterated that the system aims at ensuring transparency in loan processing and repayment.
The National Chairperson of Walimu Cooperative Union Ltd, Stephen Nabende, is optimistic that the Walimu App will greatly help teachers to easily acquire loans from Walimu SACCO since the process doesn’t involve in any paper work but rather a teacher sits anywhere, at anytime and process the loan using his/her smart phone.
” This system is crucial because it enables teachers to apply for a loan at anytime without moving loan forms to different offices to get signatures, ” Nabende expressed optimism.
Nabende noted that if all teachers onboard on the Walimu App, this would help to address teachers’ absenteeism in pretext of moving loan forms to different offices in search for signatures.
“The system is a good innovation in terms of loan management. This is because the individual teacher initiates the loan process till the money is processed, ” Nabende explained.
‘ The issue of claiming that teachers’ money has been deducted without their knowledge will be no more since the teacher fills his/her details in the system to acquire the loan facility.’
Nabende believes that by making loan access easier via smart phones, many teachers are likely to start up side income generating activities to enhance their economic well-being.He, however implored municipal authorities to encourage teachers on government payroll to embrace and access Walimu SACCO loans.
Teachers welcome Walimu App
Teddy Nakitende, a teacher at Lake Victoria School, welcomed the Walimu App saying it would help many teachers access loans directly through their digital accounts on their smart phones. She added that the app will reduce delays in processing the loan since it eliminates the processes involved in getting signatures from concerned loan officials.
Nakitende further said through loans from Walimu SACCO, she has been able to get a top up on her salary to acquire a piece of land which she bought a year ago and now looks forward for another loan to build a house.
Another beneficiary of Walimu SACCO, Grace Nakasirye, the Headteacher Chadwick Namate primary school, said the Walimu App will simplify the process of accessing a loan from Walimu SACCO and she believes that loan funds will greatly help teachers to establish side businesses to supplement on their monthly salary.
Nakasirye said the inception of Walimu SACCO, teachers no longer borrow money from money lenders whose interest is so exorbitant . She, however appealed to her fellow teachers to avoid blackmailing the SACCO,which she says has enabled her to get three plots through loan acquisition.
