The Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi, has begun an extensive countrywide tour to monitor the progress of businesses benefiting from the GROW Project. The initiative, formally known as Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises, was designed to empower Ugandan women entrepreneurs through financial support and capacity building.

Minister Amongi launched her verification exercise in the Bunyoro sub-region, where she met with beneficiaries and local leaders to assess how the project funds have been utilized. “As you’re aware, the Ministry of Gender is implementing the GROW Project,” Amongi told local stakeholders. “One of its core components is to support existing women-owned businesses and promote agriculture among women entrepreneurs across the country.”

The minister’s tour serves a dual purpose – to verify the existence of funded enterprises and evaluate their operational capacity. “I am assessing and confirming the businesses that were given money in the form of grants,” Amongi explained during her field visits. This hands-on approach allows the ministry to track the real impact of the project funds and identify any implementation challenges facing the beneficiaries.

The GROW Project represents a significant government investment in women’s economic empowerment, particularly targeting rural and semi-urban communities. By focusing on both existing businesses and new agricultural ventures, the initiative aims to create sustainable income sources for women while boosting local economies. During her interactions with beneficiaries, Minister Amongi emphasized the importance of using the grants productively to ensure business growth and longevity.

In Bunyoro, the minister visited several women-led enterprises that received project funding, ranging from small retail shops to agricultural cooperatives. She engaged directly with the entrepreneurs, listening to their success stories and challenges alike. Local leaders accompanying the minister praised the initiative for its potential to transform women’s economic participation in the region.

The verification exercise comes at a critical time for the GROW Project’s implementation timeline. By personally inspecting the funded businesses, Minister Amongi hopes to ensure transparency and accountability in how the government funds are utilized. The tour also provides an opportunity to gather firsthand feedback that could shape future project improvements.

As the minister continues her nationwide tour, she plans to visit all regions where the GROW Project has been implemented. The exercise is expected to reveal valuable insights about the state of women entrepreneurship in Uganda and the effectiveness of government support programs. Ministry officials accompanying the minister are documenting case studies of successful beneficiaries that could serve as models for other women entrepreneurs.

The GROW Project verification tour underscores the government’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment as a driver of national development. By focusing on existing businesses, the initiative recognizes the importance of sustaining women’s entrepreneurial efforts rather than just starting new ones. The agricultural component similarly acknowledges women’s crucial role in Uganda’s food production and value chains.

As Minister Amongi moves to other regions, local women entrepreneurs are preparing to showcase how the GROW Project funds have transformed their businesses. The nationwide exercise promises to provide a comprehensive picture of the project’s impact while reinforcing the government’s support for women’s economic participation. The findings from this tour will likely inform future policy decisions regarding women’s entrepreneurship support programs in Uganda.

The ministry has encouraged all GROW Project beneficiaries to maintain proper records and be ready to demonstrate how they have utilized their grants as the verification team visits different parts of the country. This transparency, officials say, will help ensure the project’s long-term success and potentially lead to expanded support for women entrepreneurs across Uganda.