The Friends with Benefits show is an initiative that showcases people who have received their NSSF benefits and used it to transform their lives and even the communities they live in. . Its main objective is to inspire millions of Ugandans to save whilst teaching them financial literacy skills.
Nine finalists have been lined up for the NSSF Friends with Benefits show. The nine, selected from a list of over 170 applicants who registered in October last year are competing for a grand prize of UGX55 million.
The eventual winner will receive UGX30 million while the first and second runners up will receive UGX15 million and
UGX10 million, respectively.
Among the top contenders are Judith Sheena Komuhangi, wife of social justice campaigner Muherereza Kyamutetera–who is renowned for leading crowd funding for the needy, especially those seeking medical attention.
Komuhangi’s brush with death when afflicted with breast cancer opened her eyes to many things as she desperately sought a way out of the deadly disease.
She realised she had savings with NSSF that she could use for her high treatment cost, and she realised the need to fight for a cause by opening an organisation that works to advance the plight of patients with life threatening diseases by helping them on finding that desired treatment abroad.
Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women, impacting over 1.5 million women each year, and also causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women.
Other contenders are Nabendah Wamoto, Suubi Akula, Boniventure Rwakira, Mary Naikumi and Alice Arinaitwe.
The finalists is completed by John Byabashaija, James Ajal and Hannington Nkayivu.
The Friends with Benefits show is an initiative that showcases people who have received their NSSF benefits and used it to transform their lives and even the communities they live in. . Its main objective is to inspire millions of Ugandans to save whilst teaching them financial literacy skills.
The NSSF Friends with Benefits show is a financial literacy edutainment initiative aimed at promoting a savings and investments culture amongst Ugandans.
It airs on Every Sunday on NTV at 5pm, Urban TV at 8pm, Bukedde TV at 7.30pm, TV West at 7pm and Repeats on Wednesday at 8am.
Voting for your favorite contestants
To vote, one can use SMS. Type VOTE, Surname of the contestant featured during the week, for example, VOTE KOMUHANGI and send to 8338.
OR : visit www.nssfug.org, select Friends with Benefits and follow prompts
Sixteen stories out of the 172 entries were selected to feature on the TV show that began in January 2018, following a vigorous verification process.
This year’s submissions included success stories ranging from investments in agriculture, Information technology, medicine, tourism, real estate, education and lifesaving investments. Benefits paid out to the finalists include age benefit, withdraw benefit and invalidity benefit.
Nebandah Wamoto says he used his benefits to treat his son Noah who was involved in an accident and underwent a spine surgery. He is contestant number 1.
Suubi, who is contestant number 2, used his benefits to restore his eyesight and invest in boda boda business to help him sustainably manage his medical condition.
Boniventure, bought land using his NSSF benefits and set up a nursery and primary school in Kabale district.
Mary, who is contestant number 4, says she needed urgent medical care for life threatening breast cancer. When she received her benefits from NSSF, she used the money for chemotherapy treatment, radiotherapy and surgery.
She also constructed a house for her family.
Alice received her benefits after retirement from Aga Khan Primary School where she was teaching. She opened her own school, AMCA Pre-School and Day Care Center, in Bukoto. She is contestant number 5.
Contestant number 6, Judith Sheena Komuhangi, was struggling to raise money for her breast cancer treatment when she remembered she had savings with NSSF.
The money helped pay part of her treatment. She then started Magnum MediTourism, an organisation that helps people with life threatening diseases to seek medical treatment abroad.
John used his NSSF benefits to buy 3 acres of land where he put up a banana plantation. He also invested more in his shoe making business. He has turned his shoe business into a training centre to share his skills with students from all over the country.
James, an engineer who is also contestant number 8, received his age benefits from NSSF and bought land because he felt it was not a very risky venture.
He then planted trees and also put up a kraal with an initial 17 heads of cattle. The animals have multiplied to over 100.
The last contestant, Hannington, says he bought 3 tractors which he uses on him farm. He also hires out the tractors to fellow farmers.
These are the nine contestants from whom an eventual winner will be announced live finale show to be held at Serena Hotel Kampala on Thursday 22 March, 2018. The final show will be aired on March 25 on NBS TV at 8pm.
NSSF pays out UGX22bn to qualifying members per month.
According to figures released during its Annual Members Meeting held earlier in September, the Fund’s annual benefits payment increased by 16%, to shs 278billion last financial year from Shs239billion paid in 2015/2016.
Earlier on, Following the inaugural campaign held 2016, the Fund registered a significant increment in its Voluntary saving plan with over 400 people joining the plan and UGX670,000,000 collected between the months of September and December when the TV show aired.