Women urged to form coops as Pride Bank launches GROW project in Soroti City

SOROTI, May 25, 2026 — Women in the Teso sub-region have been urged to form cooperatives in order to access financing and training opportunities under the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises [GROW] project, launched by Pride Bank in Soroti City.

Funded by the World Bank to the tune of US$ 217 million [over Shs 800 billion], the government initiative aims to strengthen women-led enterprises across the region. The launch attracted women from all 11 districts of Teso and Bukedi, alongside local leaders and government officials.

The initiative provides loans through commercial banks partnering with government, with financing ranging from Shs 4 million to Shs 200 million. Beneficiaries will also receive business training to support enterprises in sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.

Speaking during the launch held at Soroti Sports Ground on Thursday, Veronica Namagembe said the programme seeks to promote women’s entrepreneurship through affordable financing offered at an annual interest rate of between 10 and 10.5 per cent.

She encouraged women to form cooperatives so they could qualify for larger loans of up to Shs5 billion to support the production of crops such as maize, soybeans, beans and sorghum.

“There is a lot of land in Teso. Women, please form cooperatives so that you can benefit from this money,” Namagembe said.

She described the launch as a significant milestone in Pride Bank’s continued commitment to advancing financial inclusion and supporting grassroots economic development across Uganda.

Namagembe added that the GROW financing facility is expected to empower individuals and businesses through flexible financing solutions tailored to practical business needs, enabling beneficiaries to expand operations, increase productivity and create employment opportunities.

“From a business standpoint, the GROW financing facility is about meeting customers where they are. We have designed this product to be practical, responsive and aligned with real business needs on the ground,” she said.

She also urged men to support their wives, saying: “I believe that where there is a happy woman, there is a happy man, a happy family, a happy community and a happy nation.”

Moses Buwudhwike, the Regional Project Officer for Eastern Uganda, said negative social norms continue to affect women entrepreneurs, noting that many are still restricted from travelling long distances to conduct business despite the importance of accessing wider markets.

“You find that women are confined to working within their localities, yet they need to move further to look for better markets,” Buwudhwike said.

He revealed that 11,348 women have so far received training in various enterprises under the programme.

According to Buwudhwike, 186 institutions nationwide have been selected to provide training, while 42 are in the final stages of receiving grants to strengthen their businesses.

He also encouraged women to venture into traditionally male-dominated sectors such as metal fabrication, welding and construction, noting that grants had specifically been reserved to support women entering such fields.

“Women can join male-dominated jobs such as metal fabrication, welding and construction so that they can benefit from the grants,” he said.

James Robert Otim, the LC5 Chairperson of Ngora district, urged women to utilise the GROW funds responsibly.

He also appealed to Pride Bank to expand the programme through agent banking in order to reach women in rural communities.

Otim further encouraged SACCOs to embrace agent banking, arguing that it would enable more rural women to access the funds easily, especially those who remain unaware of the programme.

“Bringing more SACCOs on board to embrace agent banking could help many women in rural areas access the funds,” he said.

Damlie Asekenye, Chairperson of the GROW Project Focal Persons in Teso, said the project initially faced challenges because many local women struggled to access the funds due to stringent conditions.

She, however, welcomed Pride Bank’s involvement, saying the process had now become simpler and more accessible.

“The conditions for accessing these funds were previously too stringent for local women,” Asekenye said.

She added that since Pride Bank joined the programme, the number of beneficiaries had increased significantly, and she encouraged more women to participate.

One of the beneficiaries, Annet Aluro, a restaurant owner, said the loan had helped her business grow substantially and eased the burden of repayment.

“With this loan, my business has expanded and I now have many customers coming to my restaurant,” she said, adding that she can now pay her children’s school fees with ease.

However, the Resident City Commissioner of Soroti City, John Michael Okurut, expressed concern over the initial implementation of the GROW fund, citing limited public awareness and inadequate understanding of the project.

He said banks initially failed to involve community development officers directly, making accountability records difficult to access. He also criticised the banks implementing the programme for lacking competitiveness.

Okurut cautioned Pride Bank against treating the funds as part of its operational capital, stressing that women should be able to access the money without unnecessary difficulty.

Moses Attan, the Soroti City East Member of Parliament, pledged support for government programmes aimed at improving livelihoods and commended Pride Bank for adopting what he described as a more inclusive approach.

Despite the progress made, officials warned that negative social norms continue to hinder the growth of women-owned businesses across the region.

https://thecooperator.news/gender-ministry-engages-stakeholders-in-western-uganda-on-grow-project/

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