The sixth edition of Rising Woman – an initiative that aims to recognize, celebrate, and promote a culture of mentorship among women in the business space in Uganda – has today been launched.
Rising Woman is an initiative of the Uganda Investment Authority, dfcu Bank, Daily Monitor, and Uganda Airlines.
The launch in Kampala was presided over by the State Minister for Trade, Hon. Harriet Ntabazi flanked by UIA Deputy Director General Dr. Paul Kyalimpa, the CEO of dfcu Bank Charles Mudiwa, the Managing Director of Monitor Publications Tony Glencross and Sylvia Kaggwa, who represented the Managing Director of Uganda Airlines.
Themed ‘Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Succeed”, the Rising Woman initiative focuses on providing female entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to improve how they operate their businesses and to enable them to create profitable operations.
It is linked to dfcu’s Women in Business (WiB) Program and UIA’s Domestic Investment Division mission of creating a business-enabling environment for women entrepreneurs, with a special focus on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
It offers women in businessthe opportunity to receive training, recognition, exposure, access to a mentorship program, and WiB program support.
Ten winners will be selected from all business and investment categories.
The top ten (10) winners will go for a one-week all-expense-paid exchange program in 2024 to a destination outside Uganda.
The Rising Woman Initiative was first launched in 2018 and has had five successful editions. Over the past four years, Rising Woman has directly benefited more than 60,000 women and over 1 million more, virtually, through a range of programs that included regional power training, Live TV talk shows, proposal writing competitions, and mentorship trips within the region.
The Rising Woman Initiative provides an avenue to work with diverse women to turn business ideas into reality and act as agents of change in their communities whilst addressing the ever-growing challenges they face.
Speaking at the launch today in Kampala, the State Minister for Trade, Hon. Harriet Ntabazi, said: “We need to support women to go into manufacturing and adding value to our raw materials so that you can benefit from the generous tax and non-tax incentives the government gives to both domestic and foreign investors”.
Charles Mudiwa, the CEO of dfcu Bank remarked: “We realise that women are not just an important but necessary part of Uganda’s entrepreneurial journey. Women make up the largest population and are the bedrock of the economy, especially agriculture. If we are to transform Uganda we need to support women in business”.
Mudiwa told the hundreds of women entrepreneurs in attendance to have a passion for business, build relationships and partnerships and have integrity.
“As dfcu Bank, we commit to increasing support for women in business as well as become one of the biggest customers of the women we support”, said Mudiwa.
The Deputy Director General of UIA, Dr. Paul Kyalimpa, said: “A woman is the foundation of our success. Women need the platform to demonstrate their capacities. UIA helps women entrepreneurs to excel in investment and business and we offer these services free of charge. Come to UIA for free investment and business services from over 15 government and private sector agencies”.
Tony Glencross, the Managing Director of Monitor Publications, said: “By empowering women entrepreneurs, we are not only building businesses but a stronger, more equitable society for all. Monitor Publications will continue to support such initiatives that ensure equality”.
Sylvia Kaggwa, from Uganda Airlines, said when you support women in business, you support more people, families, communities, and the country.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute approximately 30 percent of Uganda’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employ more than 2.5 million people.
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About Rising Woman Season 6:
Proposal writing competition:
The competition is open to all women in business from ages 18 and above and will take a period of four months.
The proposal writing competition will open for all categories of business and investments.
The top three proposals will be awarded a cash prize of 15 million shillings, 10 million shillings, and five million shillings respectively.
Winners of the Top 10 business proposals will go to Nairobi for a study and mentorship program; all expenses paid.
Participation criteria:
- Free to all Women in Business
- For Companies, shareholding should be at least 50 percent owned by a woman.
- Previous winners are not eligible for the proposal writing competition.
- Participants will compete in any business or investment category.
Regional Power training:
Regional power training will be conducted in five cities: Arua, Mbale, Kabale, Masaka, and Kampala.
Rising Woman Mentorship:
The Rising Woman participants will benefit from free mentorship by selected successful women entrepreneurs.
Target groups:
- Small scale investors
- Women entrepreneurs
- All women’s associations
Objectives of the Rising Woman Initiative:
- Provide a platform for women in business to escalate their businesses to great heights.
- Showcase women in business through profiling and advertising in the media.
- Provide women with financing solutions that meet their needs while negating the phobia of borrowing among women.
- To provide leading solutions for women in business.
- To interface directly and train over 5,000 women during the Business power talks.
- Through the business advisory caravans, to bring dfcu Women in Business Program closer to the Women entrepreneurs
To register for training/power balls, register with the District Commercial Officer in the respective districts or call Leslie (UIA) 0782-948915.
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By David Rupiny & Shamim Saad
