More Than 30,000 Busoga Women to Benefit From Stanbic-Gates Enterprise Programme

More than 30,000 low-income women entrepreneurs across the Busoga sub-region are expected to gain access to affordable financing, business training and digital financial services under a new economic empowerment programme.

The Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme was launched at the Busoga Kingdom headquarters in Bugembe through a partnership between the Kingdom, the Gates Foundation and Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited.

The initiative seeks to address limited access to affordable credit and business support, which remain major challenges for women operating nano and micro-enterprises.

Under the programme, beneficiaries will receive entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, digital skills, mentorship, insurance and savings solutions. They will also be connected to markets to help them grow sustainable businesses and improve household incomes.

The Busoga Kingdom will support community mobilisation, while the Gates Foundation will provide expertise in financial inclusion. Stanbic Bank Uganda and Stanbic Business Incubator Limited will provide financial services and enterprise development support.

Representing Kyabazinga William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV at the launch, Busoga Kingdom Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muvawala said women’s economic empowerment was important to Uganda’s social and economic transformation.

“When you empower a woman economically, you uplift an entire family and strengthen the community,” Muvawala said in a message delivered on behalf of the Kyabazinga.

“Many women work tirelessly to support their households yet continue to face barriers in accessing finance and business opportunities.”

Muvawala said the partnership would provide women with the knowledge, tools and confidence required to establish sustainable enterprises and improve their livelihoods.

He added that financing must be accompanied by practical business development support.

“Access to capital alone is not enough. Entrepreneurs also need skills, mentorship and market opportunities to build resilient businesses,” he said.

“This partnership addresses those needs in an integrated way, creating lasting economic opportunities for women and their families.”

Stephen Segujja, Stanbic Bank Uganda’s Head of the Economic Enterprise Restart Fund, said the programme would expand economic opportunities for underserved communities.

Segujja said beneficiaries would receive affordable financing alongside business skills, digital capabilities and market connections.

“We are investing in businesses that will create jobs, strengthen communities and contribute to Uganda’s long-term prosperity,” he said.

According to Segujja, Stanbic previously mobilised 40 million dollars through partnerships under the Economic Enterprise Restart Fund and extended more than 370 billion shillings in financing to over 8,000 savings and credit cooperative organisations.

He said the bank’s Stanbic For Her programme had also supported more than 10,000 women entrepreneurs with over 200 billion shillings in financing, financial literacy, bookkeeping, governance and market-access support.

Stanbic Business Incubator Limited Chief Executive Catherine Poran said enterprise development would be central to the programme’s long-term success.

“Access to finance creates opportunity, but enterprise development sustains it,” Poran said.

She said the incubator would equip women with business management skills, digital literacy and mentorship to help them create jobs and increase household incomes.

Safinah Namukose, a trader from Buwenge and one of the programme’s beneficiaries, said many women had the determination to succeed but lacked affordable financing and the skills needed to expand their businesses.

“This programme gives us hope that more women will be able to improve their incomes, support their families and create opportunities for others,” Namukose said.