NMG-U, partners launch 2023 Rising Woman activities
( L–R) Moderator Priscilla Regina Nalwoga, NMG-U Managing Director Tony Glencross, Ms Sylvia Kaggwa Sales Manager Uganda Airlines and other partners cheer after State minister for Trade, Ms Harriet Ntabazi (in red) launched the initiative yesterday. PHOTO | DUNCAN KABAGAMBE
What you need to know:
- Speaking at the ceremony in Kampala, Mr Charles Mudiwa, the managing director at dfcu Bank, described the initiative as “a vivid potential that women have created for the nation”.
Nation Media Group Uganda (NMG-U) , in partnership with dfcu Bank’s Women in Business Programme and Uganda Investment Authority, yesterday unveiled the sixth edition of the Rising Woman Initiative 2023.
The ceremony was officiated by the State Minister for Trade, Ms Harriet Ntabazi. Since its inception in 2018, the programme with a goal of “Taking your business ahead”, aims to recognise, celebrate and promote a culture of mentorship among women doing business in Uganda.
Speaking at the ceremony in Kampala, Mr Charles Mudiwa, the managing director at dfcu Bank, described the initiative as “a vivid potential that women have created for the nation”.
He added: “As dfcu we are part of this journey and have walked with you to support you since we strongly believe in this journey.”
Mr Mudiwa noted that several businesses were started and have grown from the time the initiative was launched five years ago.
“As we continue to celebrate women, we realise that women are not just an important part of this journey but a necessary part of this journey. As a bank, we actually found out that we need to support women businesses because women make up a large part of this population but also the bedrock particularly of our farming and are a large contributor to the GDP of this country,” he said.
This year, the programme brings on board a new partnership with the national carrier, Uganda Airlines. The sixth edition will focus on business women, small-scale investors, entrepreneurs, members of Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL), members of Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA) and Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA).
According to Mr Tony Glencross, the managing director of Nation Media Group Uganda (NMG-U), the Rising Woman Initiative is “a platform for women to break barriers and take charge of their destinies”.
In recognising the potential of women entrepreneurs, he said: “We have understood that in providing them with the right tools, mentorship and opportunities we could capitalise on economic growth while fostering gender equality.”
He added: “As we celebrate the sixth year of this initiative, let’s also look ahead with unwavering determination and our commitment to empowering women remains as strong as ever. We will continue to provide access to training, mentorship, networking opportunities and a platform for visibility.”
The initiative
This initiative, now in its sixth year, is to inspire aspiring or current women entrepreneurs and investors aged 18 years and above with at least 50 percent business ownership.
It includes tailored regional training, proposal writing on winning business ideas categorically; digital innovation and e-commerce, agri-business value addition, manufacturing and consumer services. It will also entail a two-day business expo in Kampala (on October 20 and 21) and an award ceremony to recognise the best business scheduled for Friday, November 24.
The top three winners will get Shs15m, Shs10m and Shs5m in descending order.
