Introduction
The Department is responsible for empowering the communities to Demand, participate and benefit from development in an equitable manner. This is done through sensitization, creating awareness on any development programmes and any information concerning their wellbeing. Special attention is given to the less advantaged such as the youth, women, persons with disabilities, children, people living with HIV and the older people.

Vision: Communities with a better standard of living, equity and social cohesion

Goal: 'To ensure full realization of economic, social, cultural, political, and civic rights as well as improved livelihoods of the people in Masaka City with particular focus on the poor and vulnerable groups for sustainable and gender, responsive development

                                              Programmes in the Department.
1. Youth livelihood Programme (YLP)

The programme gives Revolving loans to young people through groups to enable them gain skills and also starts projects to generate income. This programme stated in F/Y 2014/2015.

Achievements since then:

Masaka Municipal with its annexed areas, a total number of 116 groups have received funds;
a. Municipal Council - 90 groups
b. Mukungwe S/C - 12 groups
c. Kabonera S/C - 14 groups.
We are yet to get groups from annexed parishes of Kalungu, Kkingo and Buwunga former Subcounties. Our emphasis now is on funds recovery from the groups that received it.

2. Uganda women entrepreneurship programme (UWEP).

It is also revolving fund for women to enable them gain skills and also start projects. UWEP started in Masaka Municipal and its annexed areas in F/Y 2016/2017.
Achievements.
Number of groups that have received funds in
Municipal Council and its annexed areas. So far
are;
a) Municipal Council 39 groups
b) Mukungwe Sub county 07 groups

c) Kabonera sub county 09 groups
Total = 55 groups
ii. A supplementary budget of UWEP funds worth 124,446,824/= has been endorsed by city executive and approved by council the department is yet to assess the beneficiary groups through following guiding principles of UWEP.
iii. Recovery is also on going

3. Special grant for people with disabilities grant (PWDS GRANT).

This programme benefits groups of persons with disabilities by extending grants for them to start income generating activities for improving their livelihood.

Achievement.

75 millions were distributed to special groups and for this Financial Year, we have not received Indicative Planning Figures (IPFs)

4. Social assistance grant for elderly (SAGE).
This is a support given to people advanced in years ranging from 80 years and above. It is still, implemented by Masaka District and the programme was enrolled to Masaka District in Financial Year 2019/2020.

Achievement.

(a) January - June 2020; 1,865 elder persons were paid each receiving shs. 150,000/= and total of shs. 279,750,000/= was paid out to older people.
(b) July - October 2020; 1,507 elder persons were paid each receiving shs. 100,000/= and a total of 150,700,000/= was paid out to the elder persons.
(c) Now recently they are paid up to June 2021.

5. Myooga
It is a presidential initiative on wealth and job creation that is centered on various enterprises / categories/ ''Emyooga'' covering a majority of Ugandans. This programme is concentrated on individuals through their organized groups which carries an enterprise with the same skill. It's based on co-saving, on top of the Government's support

Achievement.
The role of Community Development Department is to mobilize and register associations in their community (ies); - 700 associations were registered by the community.

6. Food relief under Covid-19

The city was allocated 10827 vulnerable persons to receive the funds, and these were shared among the divisions as follows;

Kimaanya-Kabonera Division 4,000 peopleNyendo-Mukungwe Division 6,827 people.

The Division Town Clerks together with our staff enrolled 10,573 vulnerable persons out of 10,827 reflecting 98% leaving a shortfall of 254 people who did not receive funds.

7. Special interest group councils.

These councils like PWDs, Youth, and older persons are in existence at the city level for the exception of women council. Women council is very crucial for assessment of UWEP groups for funds.