Karamoja herders of the Horn-KHH formerly known as Karamoja development forum has handed a sum of 90 million shillings to three reformed groups, to start their businesses and strengthen their economic resilience.

In a function presided over by the Assistant RDC Moroto Dina Adupa at Moroto Boma grounds today, the three selected reformed youth groups from Moroto were each handed dummy cheques of 30 million shillings.

The three groups include Rupa reformed youth group with 36 members, Kisil Tobar Lotisan reformed group consisting 35 members and Katikekile Ochamutu Ekisil reformed youth association with 36 members.

27-year-old Joseph Logiel, who says he was initiated into the raiding activity at the age of 12 expressed optimism that the funds will go a long way in enabling his group to flourish in the business of animal buying and selling and also to pay school fees for their children and uplifting their family livelihoods.

Logiel adds that the initiative has promoted them into peace ambassadors and will subsequently motivate those still in the bush to come out and hand over their guns to authorities.

On the other hand, Paul Lomilo, a member of Kisil Tobar Lotisan reformed youth group has called on government to support them in sensitization campaigns to convince others to come out of the wilderness so that lasting peace is attained in Karamoja sub-region.

Meanwhile, assistant RDC Dina Adupa urged the beneficiaries to maintain peace and not to slide back to the dark days when they did not believe in peace.

Simon Peter Longoli, the executive director Karamoja herders of the horn says the initiative is a research model being piloted, where lessons and experiences learnt will help them to guide government on how to engage youths in various interventions.

The initiative is being piloted by Karamoja herders of the horn in collaboration with Welt hunger hilfe and funding support from the German federal ministry of economic intervention.