Minister Amongi urges women to embrace GROW Project for sustainable growth

Kampala, (UG);- The Minister for Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi, has called on women entrepreneurs to fully embrace the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project as a pathway to sustainable business growth.

Speaking during a meeting of GROW loan beneficiaries on Friday, February 7, 2025, at Hotel Africana in Kampala, Hon Amongi emphasized that the minimum loan amount under the program will remain at UGX 4 million, despite calls to lower it to UGX 2 million.

“There have been concerns from women entrepreneurs and leaders proposing that we lower the minimum loan amount, but this is currently impossible,” she noted. “Since GROW is an accelerator program, it should continue targeting women with businesses that need more funding than what is available in other women economic empowerment schemes of the Government of Uganda.”

Amongi also clarified that the UGX 4 million threshold will prevent duplication of efforts and maintain clarity on the project’s scope. She assured the beneficiaries that the government had initially contracted UGX 98.8 billion out of a total allocation of UGX 260 billion for the GROW project.

The Minister explained that funds disbursement through the six partnering commercial banks (Centenary Bank, Finance Trust Bank, Equity Bank, DFCU Bank, Post Bank, and Stanbic Bank) requires an independent verification firm to ensure that funds are lent to eligible beneficiaries before further replenishment.

In response to concerns about fund distribution, she revealed that the Cabinet resolved to ensure equitable allocation of GROW loans across Uganda’s 19 sub-regions.

Hon Amongi added that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, is engaging the World Bank to finalize the implementation mechanisms for this directive. She therefore urged women entrepreneurs to leverage the opportunities offered by the GROW project to expand their businesses.

“The GROW project is demand-driven, and now that you have accessed credit, I call upon each one of you to seek other products and services essential for your business growth and transition,” she said.

The GROW project remains a vital initiative aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs with the financial resources and support needed to achieve sustainable business success and contribute to Uganda’s economic growth.