Rubaga women reap from govt bounty

PIC: Lubaga Women Volunteers Initiative trainer Nabatanzi Margaret displays rice that was prepared in a fireless cooker during the launch of Private Sector Fundation (PSFU) Uganda's Skills Development Facility (GDFU) in Rubaga. Looking on from left-right, the initiative director, Esther Najamba; Fredrick Nabbimba, Grants Specialist (PSFU)/(SDFU) . (Credit: sylivia Katushabe)

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

KAMPALA - More members of the private sector have been supported by the Government through the Skills Development Facility (SDF) project.

On Friday, over 300 women in Rubaga division in Kampala received sh70m to beef-up their entrepreneurship skills.

This was through their umbrella association, Lubaga Women Volunteers Initiative (LWOVI) head quartered within the Wakaliga Veterans' Market in Natete, a Kampala city outskirt.

The women have joined many more already on the list of the beneficiaries across the country. 

The $21m (78.4b) worth skills development facility launched last year is aimed at improving and narrowing the skills gap in the country.

It has since benefited over 170 groups in the private sector around the country with over sh28b so far released through the finance ministry.

It is one of the implementing sub-components of Uganda Skills Development Project (USDP) worth $100m (sh360b) implemented with support from the World Bank.

The funds are channeled through the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU)

The Lubaga Women Volunteers Initiative women are already into tailoring, art and craft, designing, cook stoves making and liquid and bar soap making, among others.

The grant specialist at the finance ministry, Fredrick Nabbimba, said the innovative hardworking women in the informal sector should be assured of Government support.

"I want to congratulate you for being beneficiaries of this project, many groups are not there," he said.

He assured: "This is just apportion, the next round, apply for much more funds and we shall give you because the programme targets people who are committed to work.

"It gives us gratitude if we come and meet people who are progressing please continue and do not give up you have our support," Nabbimba said.

He said the funding would cover payments for facilitators, buying of demonstration materials such as clothes, tailoring materials and sewing machines, among others.

The LWOVI group chairperson and founder, Esther Najjemba, stands out in the whole of Rubaga for her dislike of a woman who sits back and foldS her hands, while a man shoulders the family's financial burdens alone.

In fact, to her this is the major cause of domestic violence and the solution is to get many more women to work.

This has earned her a title of Maama (mother).

She called on the Government to ensure that more women are supported with hands-on skills in order to add financial value to their families.

However, Nabbimba advised women to take advantage of government progammes, including the women affirmative Uganda Women Emancipation Programme (UWEP).