Pastor Katebire Silver a CCT Disciple Turns Into a Millionaire

Pastor Katebire Silver a CCT Disciple Turns Into a Millionaire

My name is Katebire silver is a Mukiga by tribe aged 50 years, married to one Christian wife with 11 children (8girls, 3 boys).I was born in Rwakihigwa, Karubanda, Kabale district. After realizing that the land in Kabale district had been fragmented and it was not enough for my family and relatives, I decided to migrate to Isingiro district in 1987.

By then Isingiro district was still a virgin land as the native Banyankole had neglected Kabuyanda area because of being hilly and its lack of water. Bakiga had no option as the saying goes “oraruga okuzimu tagaya mushaana” which means that someone from the grave cannot despise the type of sun shine they nd on the ground. I was happy that the land was plenty and I could cultivate enough food for my family. As years went by, many Bakiga migrated to this area, they married many wives and by now the area is as populated as the Kabale they had left behind.

In 2006, when PAG started the CCT programme in Nyabushenyi church, I was already there. I was one of the lucky assembly pastors that enrolled as a CCT disciple. This helped me so much as I was looking for ways to provide for my family which had expanded. Isingiro district like any other part of Uganda was attacked by banana bacteria wilt which left us without banana plantations yet we used to depend on them for their home incomes.

As CCT disciples, we had an exposure visit in Soroti in 2008, this opened my mind and l started thinking of how best I could use my small land. When In Soroti, I saw a farmer with a small piece of land and had many trees of oranges and he was earning much. When I went back home, I visited a man who owned a nursery bed with grafted oranges. We agreed that he supplies me with 250 seedlings because the money was too much as every seedling cost shs. 3000, so I had to pay him 750,000 shillings. I had nothing to do but to sell part of my land and pay the orange seedlings supplier, which I did.

Out of 250 seedlings, 200 orange trees have managed to mature and they are planted on an acre of land. My rst harvest was in 2016, though it was not so good, I managed to collect 200 bags of oranges each at 150,000 shillings. Oranges have sustained me and my family and the money l get from them has enabled me as a church minister to attend trainings and seminars without fail. As a CCT facilitator, I have been a role model to all disciples after learning and putting what l learnt into practice.

Part of the land I had bought was so rocky and no one wanted it, so l used it to plant one acre of tress which I use for re wood and selling poles to our community members for construction. CCT opened our eyes and we started using our locally available resources to glorify God, God also opened a door for me in that part of the land that was rocky. When the mineral team came to our area for mineral scouting, part of my land was discovered to have Tin disports. I had to rent part of it to the team that excavates land in order for them to remove minerals from ground. As the team that was excavating my land for minerals, broke rocks into small parts, I mobilized the church to come and collect these stones which we sold to the people who construct as foundation stones and the revenue was kept by the church treasurer. We also picked some stones from this mineral ground for our church foundation and the revenue we collected from selling the stones has helped the church to buy cement, sand and bricks.

CCT has not helped me alone but also my Church where l Minister (Nyabushenyi PAG church) has greatly bene ted. CCT taught us to work together in a participatory manner.

Now Nyabushenyi church has a permanent building only awaiting roo ng. As a church we have bene tted a lot from CCT and we look forward to reaching out to other churches so that they can embrace this programme. I can’t thank PAG enough for this wonderful program but to pray that God rewards them all. May the Lord bless you abundantly.”