Ministry of Gender Updates on Progress of GROW Project for Women Entrepreneurs.

The Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, in collaboration with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), has provided a progress update on the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project. This update, delivered during a media briefing at the Media Centre, highlighted the project's achievements and the challenges faced in empowering women entrepreneurs across Uganda.

The GROW Project, launched in March 2023 by H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, is designed to support women in business by providing them with the resources to expand their enterprises. The project focuses on addressing key challenges such as inadequate business management skills, limited access to affordable capital, and the lack of user-friendly manufacturing infrastructure.

Hon. Betty Amongi, Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, emphasized that the project was established to assist women in overcoming these obstacles, ultimately helping them scale their businesses. The initiative, which also aims to reach marginalized groups such as refugee women and those in host districts, is funded by a grant from the International Development Association of the World Bank.

Dr. Ruth Aisha Kasolo, the GROW Project Coordinator, shared that significant progress has been made since the project's launch. Agreements have been signed with five commercial banks, and the project has reached nearly 90% of Uganda's districts, providing critical support to women entrepreneurs across the country. Additionally, efforts are underway to ensure equitable access to resources for all women, with a lease process in place to facilitate this goal.

However, Dr. Kasolo acknowledged that one of the primary challenges faced by the project is the high demand for loans among women entrepreneurs. This has resulted in some women being left out of the loan distribution process. In response, the project team is working to address this issue by increasing sensitization efforts to ensure that all women are well-informed about the project's offerings and how they can benefit from the available resources.

Despite these challenges, the Ministry and PSFU remain committed to supporting women in business through the GROW Project, recognizing that entrepreneurial growth for women is key to enhancing the country's economic development. With continued collaboration and the addressing of obstacles, the GROW Project is poised to empower even more women entrepreneurs across Uganda.