STELLA T
Leaders of Small Christian Communities serving in Rwamagaya Parish have been urged to strengthen their communities through active participation, live a life of gratitude and positive thinking, and work together in a spirit of communion and mission.
This was revealed today at Rwamagaya Parish in Ruhinda Subcounty, Rukungiri District, during a one-day Small Christian Community seminar.
While speaking at the opening of the seminar, Fr. Maguru Aurelius, the parish priest of Rubanda Parish in Kabale Diocese, thanked Bishop Callist Rubaramira for his visionary leadership and for starting programs aimed at empowering the faithful on financial sustainability.
He led the members through a session on spiritual empowerment, noting that family members should pray together as a team. He reminded them that “a family that prays together stays together” and encouraged them to always create time for God despite their busy schedules, entrusting their plans to Him. He also thanked the faithful for supporting the Church and reminded members of the Small Christian Communities to always meet for prayer and to discuss their projects.
He thanked the attendants and urged them to put into practice what they had learnt from the seminar. He noted that the Diocese intends that each household should have an income-generating project.
Fr. Maguru added that one of the causes of high poverty levels is improper handling of finances, which is why Kabale Diocese introduced the program of financial literacy for members of Small Christian Communities and began distributing start-up capital to help them establish projects that can boost household incomes.
Rev. Fr. Lauben Mubagizi, the parish priest of Rwamagaya Parish, reminded the attendants to treat the capital given to each SCC as a loan that should be repaid so that it can benefit other members.
He thanked members who participated in the financial literacy sessions, saying that financial discipline should begin at family level and not stop at the kataagi (SCC). He encouraged families to always make budgets so they can know their income and expenditure. He also appreciated the Diocese for supporting them economically and uplifting their standards through the Small Christian Communities.
Fr. Lauben further emphasized the importance of record keeping and urged members to always record their income, expenditure, and savings to ensure transparency in their projects. He encouraged beneficiaries to work hard and use the resources given to them profitably for the benefit of their families. He thanked Kabale Diocese for empowering the faithful economically.
Participants received financial literacy lessons and were urged to keep proper records of their income and expenditure to track the flow of funds for their projects. The Rwamagaya Parish Christian Community leaders formed associations and committed to starting poultry, goat rearing, and piggery projects.
The Diocese contributed Shs 250,000 to each of the five Small Christian Communities—St. Gavila, St. Jude, St. Mary, St. Kizito, and St. Leo—totalling Shs 1,250,000 to help them start their projects in Rwamagaya Parish.
