Belgium gov't earmarks shs 800m grant for women in small business entrepreneurship

Doreen Nsasiirwe of Kisoro Pure Honey has emerged as the overall winner in the WOMED Award South 2022.

Every two years, a female entrepreneur is selected and awarded the WOMED Award South. Markant, the Belgium network organisation organises the WOMED Award South.

They do this with the help of Trias, an international development organisation with strong roots in Belgium and with a presence in 14 countries.

This year, the WOMED Award South was hosted by Trias in Uganda.

Trias works hand in hand with local membership organisations to strengthen the services they offer to their agricultural and non-agricultural entrepreneurs, and organisations like The Uganda Small Scale Industries Association, better known as USSIA, and the Ugandan National Apiculture Organisation, or TUNADO are two of such organisations.

This award focuses on celebrating successes and opportunities for women entrepreneurs so that they gain business outreach, experience and confidence.

Out of the 67 contestants that participated, the judges selected 3 finalists, Sandra Ejang of western silk road, Joy Mary Lwanga the proprietor of Shalom organic farm and Doreen Nsasiirwe of Kisoro pure honey.

Doreen Nsasiirwe emerged as the overall winner in the WOMED Award South 2022.

While speaking at the awards ceremony that took place at Silver Springs Hotel Bugolobi, Luc Pirson a representative from the Belgian embassy in Uganda stated that the Belgium government has earmarked a UGX 800 million (200,000 euros) grant towards the women operating small and medium enterprises in Uganda.

He further noted that women with business proposals that are in line with the sustainable development plan shall be able to get funding to enable them expand and increase their production capacity.

The value addition chain in Uganda is largely dominated by women, although these still produce at a limited capacity due to lack of enough capital, said Dickson Biryomumaisho the executive director, TUNADO.

Dickson noted that even when not all of the women led businesses are struggling, the few interviewed have highlighted what’s limiting plans of expansion and growing beyond borders.

Ruth Biyinzika Musoke the head of skills development facility at PSFU, called upon women willing to formalize their businesses to seek for help.

She also advised women who have embraced involving their children in their businesses to respect and pay them as workers so as to retain their interest in the business and to ensure continuity of the businesses for the next generation.