Kabarole women’s groups receive Shs 129mln under UWEP

KABAROLE, September 11, 2024 – Twenty-five women’s groups in Kabarole District have received Shs 129.2 million through the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme [ UWEP ]. Established by the government in the 2016/2017 financial year, UWEP aims to strengthen women entrepreneurs’ capacities and provide affordable credit to help them expand their businesses.

At the disbursement ceremony, Kabarole Deputy Resident District Commissioner [DRDC], Paul Bwire Ogalo urged the beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly to combat poverty and improve household income. “The government is committed to enhancing the livelihoods of women through various initiatives. I urge you to use these funds as intended and avoid diverting them from their designated purposes,” Ogalo said.

He also encouraged beneficiaries to engage in additional government programmes, such as the Parish Development Model [PDM], alongside receiving UWEP funds. “By participating in these programs, women can better fight poverty and support their families,” Ogalo added.

Ogalo emphasised the government’s efforts to ensure all Ugandans benefit from its programmes, including PDM, Emyooga, UWEP, Youth Livelihood, and the GROW project. “The government is working hard to make every Ugandan prosperous. These programs are designed to improve household income and provide broader economic opportunities,” he said.

Kabarole District LCV Chairperson Richard Rwabuhinga praised women for their effective use of resources and expressed confidence that the new funds would contribute to household-level development. “Women have shown a proven ability to utilize resources effectively. This funding will help them grow their businesses and contribute to national development,” Rwabuhinga said.

He commended the government’s efforts to empower women, urging them to fully embrace and benefit from these programs. “The government is committed to empowering women in various ways. I encourage all women to take full advantage of these opportunities and use them wisely,” he added.

UWEP, managed by the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, aims to improve women’s access to financial services, enhance their skills in enterprise growth, value addition, and marketing. The programme provides interest-free revolving credit to help women start or strengthen their enterprises.

According to the Auditor General’s Value for Money Audit Report December 2021, UWEP had disbursed Shs 107 billion to 11,256 women’s groups, benefiting approximately 135,000 women from 2015/16 to 2019/20.

However, despite Shs 16bln in loan repayments sitting in a recovery account with the Bank of Uganda, only Shs 963mln had been revolved by the time of the audit. This delay in fund rotation had limited timely access for qualifying women’s groups.

https://thecooperator.news/uwep-boosts-livelihoods-of-women-in-lira-district/

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