Alebtong, Uganda | Women entrepreneurs in Alebtong District have received official guidance on accessing government funding under the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project aimed at boosting women-led businesses.
The Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Alebtong, Mathias Lutwama, announced that the district has commenced implementation of the programme following government approval to extend affordable credit financing to women entrepreneurs.
Lutwama explained that the initiative is part of government efforts spearheaded by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to promote private sector growth and improve household incomes through women economic empowerment.
He noted that all women aged 18 years and above operating registered businesses, whether small, medium, or large-scale, are eligible to apply for the loan facility.
According to the RDC, applicants are required to possess individual bank accounts where approved funds will be deposited to ensure transparency and proper accountability in the utilization of the money.
Lutwama further stated that government officials, working together with participating bank representatives, will conduct field assessments of businesses to determine viability and advise applicants on appropriate loan amounts based on productivity levels.
He added that women operating viable but unregistered businesses will also be considered, provided they first obtain recommendation letters from their respective LC1 chairpersons before undergoing verification by technical teams.
Under the programme guidelines issued by the Central Government, loan amounts will range between UGX 2 million and UGX 200 million, depending on the scale and performance of the enterprise.
The Deputy RDC revealed that about 500 women in Alebtong District have already undergone functional training under the GROW Project, paving the way for the commencement of fund disbursement scheduled for March 7, 2026.
He commended government leadership for prioritising women entrepreneurship, noting that the programme aligns with national development strategies aimed at strengthening indigenous participation in the private sector.
The GROW Project is a government and World Bank-funded initiative, implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development together with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, that provides affordable financing, business skills training, and enterprise support to help women-owned businesses grow into sustainable medium and large enterprises; as of early 2026, the project has reached hundreds of thousands of women and directly provided loans to over 2,000 beneficiaries through participating banks including Centenary Bank, Equity Bank, Finance Trust Bank, DFCU Bank, Post Bank, and Stanbic Bank.