A woman sorting grains for sale at Olayo-Ilong Market in Bardege-Layibi Division, Gulu City recently. Photos by Sintes Raymond Obwona
By Eden Mic and Sintes Raymond Obwona
Agago, Gulu City: Hundreds of businesswomen in Agago and Gulu districts have been selected to benefit from the GROW project.
GROW, an acronym for Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises, is a five-year initiative by the government of Uganda aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs to grow and sustain their businesses while employing other women.
The project which was launched by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during the 2023 International Women’s Day Celebration in Kiruhura district, is funded by the World Bank at US$ 217m (shs832.6b) and is being implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD).
In Agago district, 300 women entrepreneurs have been identified in phase 1 activity of sensitization and training in transiting from micro to small, or from small to medium business, as well as improving on their products.
Beneficiaries welcome the project.
Santa Acayo, a beneficiary of the GROW project in Paicam Parish, Lamiyo Sub County, who deals in produce, appreciated the government for enabling female-owned enterprises.
Acayo explained that women take a long time to grow because of several challenges such as poor health domestic conflicts, and a weak economic base that takes up most of the profit they would have invested back into their business.
“This money will help me expand my business, pay my school fees, and secure the future of my children,” Acayo said.
Jennifer Anena, one of the 100 beneficiaries in Gulu City, who specializes in dry food stuff such as pumpkin seeds, leafy green vegetables, and sweet potatoes said that her business is stagnant because of limited capital.
Anena is optimistic that the GROW project will also help her to finally register her business with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) which she has been attempting without success.
“I am trying to register my business firm with URSB, but I have often faced some stumbling blocks. I do not know if their project will help me do that with ease,” Anena wondered.
Grace Limpee Okema, a dealer in grains and cereals, testified that her business operates with a capital of less than Shs10m, and the project is a good intervention that will help borrow capital for expansion.
Limpee, however, requested the implementers of the project to incorporate financial literacy into their sensitization and training manual because several businesswomen do not know how to handle huge sums of money in business.
Jenifer Ayoo, the Vice Chairperson of Gulu Business Association, appealed to the government to tax them with leniency, if the women were to progress quickly.
“I wish the program should not leave us with several taxes, because we are struggling with several taxes already,” Atoo said.
Leaders commend the project
David Atuka Lagen, the MP for Agago County, said GROW is a unique project that will train women, change their mindset, and build their confidence to run businesses successfully.
“This is one of the projects that will reduce the level of violence, trauma, poverty, and mental illness because women can access money to build relationships between women and men in the house,” Lagen said.
Lagen appealed to the government all over the district, arguing that women in the district face unique challenges compared to women in other districts.
He explained that the Karamojong cattle raids in Agago have made women in the district more vulnerable and poorer than women in any other district because they have lost not only their livestock but household items as well.
“And so the project GROW has come at the right time to better the lives of the women who have been traumatized as a result of Karamojong cattle raiders,” Lagen said.
Lagen commended the government for initiating a unique project, saying besides building the capacity of women, it is helping to change their mindset, a thing he said has been lacking in other poverty-eradication projects.
“The issue of mindset change is an agenda, which is key… So I believe and trust that it [GROW] will enhance the livelihood of these women and champion the women’s agenda economically,” he said.
Beatrice Akello Akori, the State Minister for Economic Monitoring, cautioned the beneficiaries against abusing the funds for buying alcohol, and luxurious items instead of investing it.
Alfred Okwonga, the Gulu City Mayor, advised businesswomen especially those dealing in grains and cereals to always sort and clean their produce to attract better prices, profits, and international clients.
“What is more important in your business is value addition. For instance, you can buy produce with husks but endeavor to sort them and increase the price so that you get a better profit,” Okwonga said.
Joel Acana, the northern region project coordinator for the GROW project, revealed that the primary aim of the project is to support businesswomen operating with capital of shs5m to shs10m only to acquire more loans to expand their business.
According to Acana, the project will be rolled out countrywide, and in northern Uganda, Dokolo, Agago, and Gulu City have been sensitized.
Acana said after the sensitization, the beneficiaries will have access to bank credits worth shs200m, individually or in groups.
The last phase of the project involves supporting the beneficiaries with machinery to process or add value to their products.
