OBADIAH T
Over 160 women’s groups in Rukungiri district have benefited from the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP), a government initiative aimed at improving access to financial services for women across the country. Among the groups that have received support are Buhandagazi Women Group, Kasheeshe Agape Tukorerehamwe, and Buyanja Central Women Traders, among others.
This information was shared by Charlene Twesime, the Principal Community Development Officer, during an interview with our reporter. According to UWEP, the beneficiaries are women aged between 18 and 79, organized into groups of five to ten people.
Charlene explained that loans are not provided on an individual basis, and interested women have been advised to visit their sub-counties to obtain registration forms.
She also clarified that the loans do not require collateral; applicants only need to be Ugandan citizens with National Identification Cards and a group photo.
Charlene further noted that UWEP loans are part of a revolving fund and are interest-free unless a group defaults for over three years, in which case a penalty will apply. She emphasized that this is not a government token, as some people have misunderstood it. In the event that a member fails to repay, the entire group is responsible for covering that individual’s share.
Additionally, Rukungiri District Deputy CAO Hillary Agaba encouraged women to embrace the programme. He urged parish chiefs, sub-county chiefs, community development officers, and other leaders to raise awareness about the programme to ensure its success. Hillary explained that UWEP is designed to address challenges women face in running economically viable enterprises, such as limited access to affordable credit, lack of technical knowledge and business development skills, and limited market access and business information. The programme was established in response to complaints that women were often excluded from accessing loans from commercial banks due to lack of collateral.
The programme, which began in the 2015/2016 financial year in 19 district local governments and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), was expanded to the entire country in 2016/2017 with separate budgets for each district and municipality. UWEP aims to increase women’s participation in business development, enhance their incomes, and improve their overall quality of life.
