The Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project has commenced. 

The project is now being implemented, and the first batch of ten women entrepreneurs has recently been selected and taken to the Middle East to do a feasibility study on our agricultural produce, goat meat and dairy products.

The primary objective of the visit was to establish a connection between Ugandan female farmers and stakeholders in various sectors such as the hospitality industry, foodstuffs, goat meat, dairy products, and agricultural markets. 

The feasibility study was also conducted on the viability of Ugandan agricultural produce in market in the Middle East, focusing on Saudi Arabia (Madinah, Makah, Sharifa), Qatar, Jiddah, and the UAE, among others with an aim to increase access to services that enable women entrepreneurs to grow their enterprises. The program also targets host and refugee communities wholesomely.

Saraha Namubiru, Proprietor of Stoney Hills Investment Limited.

Sarah Namubiru, the proprietor of Stoney Hills Investments Limited, a company specialising in agro-based produce, and the team lead of the ten-woman team, highlighted that in addition to exclusive interactions with various stakeholders in the mentioned industries and states, they also gained valuable insights into packaging, value addition, and storage techniques.

"We visited a large supermarket chain with 84 outlets in Saudi Arabia, currently expanding its operations throughout the Middle East," said Sarah. "After discussing with the operations manager, Abdul Majeed A Al Swaiety, he expressed interest in introducing some of our products into his supermarkets."

They also met with Shehabeldin Khalifah, the General Manager of Shaza Regency Hotel, who expressed interest in purchasing sweet bananas and hot peppers. He stated, "I will give you full support as long as you are fully registered to do business." 

Additionally, Khalifah expressed interest in assisting with the setup of stalls in Makah dedicated to Ugandan food products to cater to pilgrims. Namubiru also mentioned that he promised to help her secure a yearly operational visa to ensure the smooth running of the business.

Against this backdrop, Stoney Hills Investments Limited is on the verge of finalising agreements to export five tons of avocados and three tons of pineapples to two large-scale market investors: Zahar Al Asmar and Walid Zahar Al Asmar, who own Aki-Akkiyah, one of the largest markets. 

 Namubiru is also currently preparing to travel to Qatar to sign the exportation agreement in Saudi Arabia with Hessein Abou Elenin, a business partner with Khalifai in Hotel business to supply hot pepper and sweet bananas.

"While the feasibility study presented significant opportunities, the costs associated with export charges may pose a considerable challenge," Namubiru explained.

Additionally, there is a need to learn and implement proper packaging to compete in the international market and ensure the longevity of the products.

Among other developments, they have also reached agreements with key stakeholders in one of the biggest market in the Middle East to establish Ugandan agricultural product stalls dedicated solely to sell the Ugandan agro-products.

Namubiru and her colleagues took samples of agricultural products such as groundnuts, beans, and bananas to showcase the quality and variety of Ugandan produce.

In an interview, they stated the 10-woman team noted that many of the stakeholders they interacted with had complaints about previous suppliers' inability to consistently provide goods. 

They explained that despite Uganda having the best products with excellent taste and pure aroma, more interaction is necessary with people in the various countries in the Middle East. 

This interaction would help identify areas for improvement, create more awareness of Ugandan produce, expand our market, and ensure constant production throughout the year which can be can achieved through agricultural mechanisation.

Dr Ruth Aisha, the GROW-Project Coordinator explained, "We supported them to go to Saudi Arabia, and we are also aware that they have successfully acquired some orders. Upon that ground, she stated that they are going to ensure that they support Stoney Hills Investment to meet the requirements of international markets, such as certifications, packaging, training, as well as negotiation." 

She added, "We are going to collaborate with the Export Promotion Board to provide the necessary support. Additionally, through our line of credit, which we are launching in June, we hope that these women can access the funds they need."

The aim of the project is to enable women entrepreneurs migrate from micro to small, and small to medium businesses as well as to get more women in sectors that male dominated.