MTN Uganda, partners launch initiative to empower women entrepreneurs

Telecom giant MTN Uganda in partnership with several companies and organisations have launched the Advancing Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) initiative, a three-year programme designed to increase women participation in the top spend supply chain areas.

The partners are Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), ATC Uganda, UN Women, dfcu Bank, NSSF, MasterCard, Innovation Village and Outbox Hub.

During the launch on Monday, the partners committed to grow a supplier base by 2025 that will ensure women tech entrepreneurs benefit greatly. The programme will create pathways for business representation, strategic positioning, supplier base and financial inclusion.

Sharon H. Nyaika, the Project lead of the AWE initiative at MTN Uganda, highlighted that the idea was birthed this year on women’s day. She mentioned that this programme will provide skills to women entrepreneurs to help them build sustainable businesses.

MTN CEO Sylvia Mulinge said championing diversity, equity, and inclusion among organizations is the magic bullet to increasing women’s participation in information technology.

“Our gathering today signifies the ignition of a critical movement aimed at reshaping how our organizations engage with, support, and cultivate the growth of women within their supply chain ecosystems,” Mulinge said.

She said while our country has made commendable progress in increasing female participation in STEM programs in Uganda, there remains ample room for further advancement,.

“A cursory review of our annual procurement expenditure, approximating UG 854bn, exposes an unsettling imbalance in favour of males, with female owned businesses at 8% and women in technology or 0.4%, driven by historical factors and other complex reasons,” she said.

“We must proactively involve women in shaping our society, as their inadequate representation constraints Uganda’s development, leaving vital intellect and creative potential underutilized, which is essential for enhancing productivity,” she added.

The MTN CEO hailed the partners for supporting the initiative.

In her remarks, Dorothy Kabagambe, the CEO at ATC Uganda, said their company buys into the vision of women entrepreneurship.

“The reason advancing women entrepreneurs is important because over the last ten years, we have seen a glaring gap in women led engineering projects and business,” she said.

“We resonate with the vision and buy into the vision. We see the need and we live it every day. We create a new tribe of women that can grow Uganda. When you invest in a woman, you invest in children,” she added.

In his remarks, dfcu Bank CEO Charles Mudiwa said “dfcu was the first bank to launch a Women in Business department in 2007. The department has since grown to serve over 100,000 women in Uganda”.

“Through the Women in Business program, dfcu Bank has enabled entrepreneurs benefit from capacity building programs ranging from business advisory, business acceleration, and financial management,” he added.

Mudiwa spotlighted that dfcu Bank shall offer AWE participants specialized financing packages including contract financing, working capital financing, and Asset Financing, Insurance Premium Financing, and Trade Finance solutions.

Stephen Asiimwe, the ED PSFU, while speaking at the project launch, acknowledges the role of partnerships as key drivers of the economy.

“Once you have strong associations, you have a strong economy. We must encourage working together. On behalf of PSF Uganda, I want to applaud Sylvia and her team for their visionary initiative. This is not just a simple beginning, it’s the start of a movement, a catalyst for change that is gaining momentum every moment,” he said.

“As we take these initial steps, let’s remember that revolutions are fuelled by the passion, resilience, and commitment of individuals who dare to dream and take action. Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for all,” Mr Asiimwe added.

UN Women Uganda Deputy Country Representative Ademi Ndieli said: “When you look at the percentage of women who have access to the digital economy, Uganda has the worst figures among the sample countries.”

“We need affirmative action in order to make real change and put women ahead. Empowering women is our paramount mission. Empowering a single woman radiates positive effects, enriching the lives of children, strengthening communities, and so much more,” Ndieli added.

According to the World Economic Forum – Global Gender Report 2022, the percentage of female led enterprises dropped from 5% in 2019 to 2% in 2021 mainly due to limited exposure of women in leadership, technology, or innovation-related skills.