Create networking clubs, Kadaga tells women

Apr 18, 2016

Networking clubs are favorable to their schedules she said

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has expressed concern over the few number of women entrepreneurs and asked them to form networking clubs to compete with their male counterparts in the entrepreneurial world.

"If you take a census of the women led businesses in this country the results will be very paltry. For instance out of over 100 radio stations in the country, only two are owned by a woman, Maria Kiwanuka. The rest are all led by men, so you can imagine they control the content of what you say on the radios and decide whether to promote women or not to," she said.

Kadaga said that women need to get involved in such areas, but they have no access to information and the right people and material to get them thinking in such lines.

"Unlike our male counterparts, the greatest disadvantage we women have is access to information and opportunities. take for instance, men in Kampala meet every evening at Kampala club and by the time they leave in the morning, they have struck deals, made contacts and come up with great entrepreneurial ideas," she said.

Kadaga added that very few women can go to such places and stay till morning, drinking beer and discussing ideas. Therefore, they should create a networking club favorable to their schedules, where they can make contacts, generate and share entrepreneurial ideas.

"Let us create our own networks for information and quality control, such that while the men are at Kampala Club, we are also here making money," she said.

She was speaking at the Young Women Entrepreneurs Summit held at the International University of East Africa (IUEA) in Kansanga, yesterday (Saturday).  The summit was organized by She Means Business, an entrepreneurship platform that mentors and trains young enterprising women to achieve success in business.

The summit was organized to train senior six students on vacation and 'A' level students, on how to develop business ideas and implement them with little or no income.

Benson Obua Ogwal, the Moroto County Member of Parliament told the students who had filled up the University's auditorium that a major step in developing great business ideas is through strategic networking.

"For better networking, you need to create a plan on who you need and what you need to do and start with a few good people. As your network grows, evaluate them and delete those you do not need," he advised.

Ogwal also made a presentation on strategic networking for business, taking students through types of networks and the power of networking.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) She Means Business, Scholastica Ibiara, warned the students against waiting for almighty jobs and instead turn their passions into business.

The full day training was attended by students from Mbogo mixed school, Bilal Islamic school, Seeta High School, Buziga high school and students on vacation.

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