A new cohort of women entrepreneurs is set to benefit from an intensive apprenticeship program under the Government of Uganda’s Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project.
During an orientation event held this week, GROW Project Coordinator John Ssengendo emphasized the importance of the hands-on training program in closing the skills gap that continues to limit the growth of women-led enterprises.
“As GROW, we are addressing the issue of rampant business failures. We want to ensure that women-led businesses grow, thrive, employ more women, and contribute to the tax base,” Ssengendo said.
He noted that participants in this third intake will be placed in established enterprises across various sectors—starting with tailoring, hair and beauty salons, and hotel services—to learn practical, market-ready skills.
“We’re targeting women who are already running businesses and only require additional skilling to expand or improve operations,” Ssengendo explained. “They don’t need to stay long in the host enterprises—just long enough to acquire new methods and apply them back in their businesses.”
The apprenticeship placements will last between one to two months, depending on the sector and the learning objectives.
So far, about 400 women entrepreneurs have benefited from the GROW apprenticeship and placement program since its inception. The program aims to reach at least 5,000 women across the country.
The shs805 billion Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project is a flagship government initiative implemented under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, with support from the World Bank.
The project focuses on empowering women entrepreneurs to scale up their businesses through a combination of financial support, training, mentorship, and market access initiatives. It targets women-owned micro and small enterprises (MSEs) that have potential for growth but are held back by limited skills, access to capital, and business networks.
The GROW Project is currently being rolled out allover the country with a long-term vision of fostering inclusive economic growth by unlocking the full potential of women in enterprise.
