KABALE: The Kabale District Senior Labour Officer and focal person for the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project, Swizeen Ndyabawe has called on Community Development Officers (CDOs) in sub-counties and town councils to raise awareness among rural women entrepreneurs about the full range of components offered by the GROW project.
While many women are aware of the loan aspect of the project, Ndyabawe highlighted that other equally valuable components, such as grants, are often underutilized due to a lack of information.
At a sensitization meeting held on Wednesday in the District Chairperson’s boardroom, Ndyabawe emphasized that the GROW project, a partnership between the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, offers several key support components for women entrepreneurs. These include:
Financial Support: Loans ranging from 4 to 200 million Ugandan Shillings, offered at interest rates of 10% or lower, and repayable over two years. This component aims to help women-led businesses transition from micro to medium enterprises by addressing financial constraints.
Training and Capacity Building: Technical skills, life skills, and business advisory services designed to equip women with the knowledge and expertise needed to improve and grow their businesses.
Infrastructure Development: Establishing enabling infrastructure, such as common user facilities and childcare centers, to create a more supportive environment for women entrepreneurs to thrive.
Ndyabawe noted that the focus has largely been on the financial support component, with many women overlooking the additional benefits offered by training and infrastructure development.
He stressed the importance of disseminating comprehensive information about all the project’s components so women entrepreneurs can take full advantage of the opportunities available to them.
By utilizing the full range of offerings provided by the GROW project, rural women entrepreneurs can access the resources and support they need to expand and sustain their businesses. This, in turn, will contribute to economic growth and empower communities.
Gordon Manzi, the Principal Assistant Secretary in the office of the Chief Administrative Officer, also highlighted the role of CDOs in mobilizing communities to benefit from government programs.
He urged CDOs to take the initiative in encouraging women in business to explore and express interest in all aspects of the GROW project.
