Minister Babalanda Urges Believers to Combine Faith With Hard Work To Eradicate Household Poverty

JINJA CITY – The Minister for the Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has called upon believers to combine faith with hard work, financial discipline and productive agriculture to eradicate household poverty and improve livelihoods.

Hon. Babalanda, who also serves as Director for the SDA Busoga Women Field, made the call today, Saturday, during a Sabbath service at Buwagi Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church in Jinja Northern Division, Jinja City, where she delivered a message on faithful giving, supporting the work of God and responsibly utilising blessings entrusted to individuals and families.

In her address, she conveyed warm greetings from H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. (Rtd.) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni; the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni; the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Hajji Yunus Kakande; and the entire staff of the Office of the President.

She encouraged the congregation to support the development of the Church through voluntary contributions, noting that the value of giving lies not only in the amount offered but also in the willingness, gratitude and commitment with which it is given. She said every contribution, regardless of size, advances God’s work and strengthens the Church’s service to the community.

The Minister reiterated that God blesses the work of human hands and calls upon His people to give faithfully while using their resources responsibly for the benefit of their families and society.

She observed that while prayer remains essential to Christian life, it must be accompanied by productive work, responsible decision-making and effective utilisation of available resources. Households can improve their economic circumstances by embracing a culture of saving, reinvesting earnings, establishing productive enterprises and avoiding unnecessary expenditure.

She urged families to work together towards shared economic goals, noting that overcoming poverty requires a positive mindset, commitment to productive activities and determination to create sustainable opportunities for present and future generations.

Hon. Babalanda urged believers to embrace Government wealth-creation initiatives with discipline, accountability and a clear focus on improving household incomes. She emphasised that such programmes deliver meaningful results when beneficiaries establish viable enterprises rather than treating support as short-term consumption.

She cautioned against excessive land fragmentation, warning that it reduces land available for productive agriculture and undermines family economic potential. She encouraged households to manage family land responsibly, preserve it for future generations and treat it as a valuable economic asset.

Where land size and local conditions permit, she encouraged adoption of the Four-Acre Model as a practical approach to food security and wealth creation:

– *Acre 1:* Coffee or cocoa as long-term cash crops for sustainable income.
– *Acre 2:* Fruit farming, including oranges and mangoes, to diversify earnings.
– *Acre 3:* Food crops, including maize, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes and vegetables, for household food security and surplus for sale.
– *Acre 4:* Pasture to support zero-grazing, dairy farming and other livestock enterprises.

She explained that the model diversifies production, reduces dependence on a single income source and strengthens resilience, but stressed that activities should be adapted to land size, local conditions and market demand. She called for improved practices, proper planning, market identification and value addition to move households beyond subsistence to sustainable commercial farming.

The Minister particularly encouraged women to believe in their abilities, work hard and participate actively in economic activities. She observed that when women are involved in wealth creation, families are better placed to improve living standards, educate children and secure a stable future. She urged families and communities to support women’s economic participation and recognise their contribution to household and national development.

Hon. Babalanda commended the leadership and congregation of Buwagi SDA Church for their commitment to worship, fellowship and community service, and encouraged them to maintain unity and continue contributing to the spiritual and socio-economic well-being of the community.

She concluded by urging Ugandans to remain steadfast in faith, generous in giving and diligent in work while embracing productive agriculture and wealth-creation initiatives.

As part of her contribution to the continued development of the Church, she donated Shs 4 million towards its development initiatives.