Govt advises women to embrace GROW project to boost their businesses
Fred Nabimba, a Skills Development Specialist who represented the GROW Project Coordinator, Dr. Ruth Aisha Kasolo, said that the project is demand-driven and called on women in the central region to get organised to benefit from this project.
Women undergoing the business skills training at Rwebisiliza Hall in Butemba Town Council in Kyankwanzi district by Abaanabasazi (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)
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The Government has advised women entrepreneurs in the central region to take up the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women (GROW) project so as to develop their businesses.
The GROW project, which was initiated by President Yoweri Museveni, focuses on supporting women already in business, and the beneficiaries will be supported with funds ranging from sh4m and above.
The project, worth $217m (over sh850b), is funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development together with Private Sector Foundation Uganda.
Fred Nabimba, a Skills Development Specialist who represented the GROW Project Coordinator, Dr. Ruth Aisha Kasolo, said that the project is demand-driven and called on women in the central region to get organised to benefit from this project.
He was last Thursday speaking at the closure of a three-week training for over 100 women aimed at preparing and equipping them with business skills that will help them to benefit from the GROW project.
Nabimba noted that the GROW project is one of the many projects that the Government has initiated to empower Ugandans economically.
He said the project is special because it targets women entrepreneurs and it is aimed at boosting such businesses from micro to small, and from small to medium enterprises.
Nabimba noted women are good at doing business but lack some skills to sustain them, adding that with the training given to the women, the beneficiaries will be able to grow their businesses.
He noted that it is always difficult for women entrepreneurs to access financial support from financial institutions (banks) because they have no land titles to use as collateral.
The Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Kyankwanzi, Peruth Kabale, said the GROW project is a magic bullet that will help women to develop their business and move out of poverty.
He said the training had come at the right time as the Government implements such a project, adding that lack of business skills is one of the challenges failing many to sustain their businesses.
Kyankwanzi District Chairperson Samuel Ssemugaba called on the beneficiaries to properly utilise the funds to ensure that the project serves its intended purpose of helping women struggling in business.
He noted that the Government has disbursed a lot of money through different programmes to help Ugandans to move out of poverty, but mismanagement of funds by beneficiaries is always a challenge.
Ismail Katumba, an official from Kyadondo CBS PEWOSA SACCO (Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation), one of the financial institutions distributing GROW loans in Kyankwanzi, said women with businesses that have operated for at least one year can apply for loans ranging from sh2m to sh5m, provided they meet the required conditions.
According to Katumba, applicants are required to have a National Identification card, a letter from their local council chairperson, and a trading license, among other things.
He said so far, 15 women in the area have accessed GROW loans in Kyankwanzi district.
Florence Nalubanga, one of the trained women, expressed excitement about the project, adding that the project is going to help them to move their business to another level.