Preamble

The United Persons with Disabilities (UPDS) was founded in 2020 as an organization dedicated to supporting people with disabilities in Uganda through social entrepreneurship, aiming to enhance their economic status and overall well-being. Recognizing the inherent challenges faced by this community in accessing formal financial services and navigating competitive work environments, UPDS established the Twezimbe Uganda Graduates with Disabilities Saving and Credit Cooperative Society Limited (TUGAD-SACCO), an initiative designed to tackle the difficulties faced by individuals with disabilities in obtaining manageable credit facilities for entrepreneurial pursuits. Membership in the society is open to individuals with disabilities in Uganda holding formal academic qualifications from higher education institutions or vocational institutes. Caregivers, well-wishers, and employers of people with disabilities are considered honorary members.

SACCO Benefits

• The society shall bestow upon its members an opportunity to save, earn interest on their savings, and receive dividends on their shares.
• Facilitate access to affordable capital for members to boost or start a business.
• Offer opportunities to network and share business ideas and experiences, gain access to trade fairs, business conferences, and capacity-building opportunities for members.
• Conduct training on entrepreneurship and business management skills, to enhance the ability of members to start, manage, and sustain businesses.

SACCO Vision

A fully inclusive, universally designed community-based SACCO with a strong capital base, offering innovative solutions to overcome poverty and barriers to economic participation by members of marginalized communities in Uganda.

SACCO Mission

To mitigate barriers to access to formal financial services by members of historically marginalized communities such as people with disabilities, and the vulnerable poor.