Nabakooba Urges Mubende Women To Embrace The GROW Programme

The minister of lands, Judith Nabakooba has called on women to embrace the Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) programme to boost their household incomes.

Nabakooba, who was launching the programme in greater Mubende at a ceremony held at Enro Hotel in Mityana on June 20, said the programme started with two districts in greater Mubende but will spread to other districts when more funds are availed.

GROW is a government of Uganda initiative that arose out of the women entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses, sustain their self-employment and create more jobs.

“We are happy for the GROW programme that has reached Kassanda and Mityana. In a special way, I want to thank the minister of Gender for having agreed to bring this programme to our districts,” Ms Nabakooba said. She encouraged women to always utilise the opportunities that come with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) to get alleviated from poverty.

 “We believe the GROW programme is going to elevate women to another level. We have been participating and we are grateful to the different innovations and opportunities brought up by the government,” she said.

Some of the government programmes introduced include the Parish Development Model (PDM), the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme and the Youth Livelihood Programme among others. Unlike other government programmes, GROW is specifically tailored for women who are elevating from lower levels to another level. They give funds from Shs 4 million.

 “If you have organised your concept so well, you can get the money, use it and return it in a year at a rate of 10 per cent,” the minister noted.

She asked women to be innovative, go the extra mile to be team players and ensure they develop bankable projects that can bring in money. She appreciated President Museveni for rooting for women and bringing them on board on issues of development.

“We were at Munyonyo with foreign delegates and people were wondering how a woman is allowed to head the lands ministry. That elsewhere, women are not allowed to hold land. Titles are supposed to be for men.” Ms Nabakooba contributed Shs10 million towards the programme and pledged to rally women to support NRM and engage in different government programmes.

 One of the trainers of the GROW programme, Ms Angella Nakafeero from Kassanda District told the minister that women were trained in how to manage businesses and boost them from one level to another.

 She noted that the groundbreaking ceremony of the programme was attended by more than 400 women from the two beneficiating districts. “Majority of today’s participants are leaders from different levels and we have encouraged them to convey the message we have discussed to those who were not able to make it here,” Ms Nakafeero said.

Ms Nakafeero thanked the government for amending policies that protect women such as the Succession Amendment Act.

 Ms Viola Nazziwa Bbosa, women chairperson of Malangala Sub-county, expressed her gratitude to the government and said the programme is going to be beneficial to the women already in business.