BY D K SEBUNYA
A total of up to 1,000 women entrepreneurs are set to benefit from the upcoming Information Highway Symposium organized by social enterprise organizations, financial services providers, and private sector leaders.
The information spree, set to take place on 8th March 2024, is expected to equip these entrepreneurs with strategic business information, as well as building critical connections, both of which are essential to business development.
The Symposium is under the theme “Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress” and will be blessed by business mentors and thought leaders from various sectors to highlight opportunities and discuss basic practices that entrepreneurs can leverage or adopt to impact their lives.
Speaking at the launch of the event, Gudula Nayiga Basazza, the founder and CEO of Gudie Leisure Farm hosting the symposium, mentioned that many women and girls are yet to maximize the available opportunities. This is partly attributed to the lack of access to critical and timely information, which is the reason behind the symposium.
“The Information Highway is a full suit of information that a woman needs to blossom and make a strategic and measurable contribution in her life while impacting the society they live in. Women will be exposed to a step-by-step process of business formalization, patent rights registration, access to available credit, among other opportunities,” Nayiga added.
Some of the organizations partnering to put up this symposium include the Bank of Uganda, Private Sector Foundation, Care Uganda, UN Women, DFCU Bank, among others.
Immaculate Yossa from Care Uganda points out that her organization is steadfast in ensuring gender equality within society and empowering women to achieve greater heights. The Information Highway Symposium is contributing to these causes in one way or another.
“We are pleased to take part in this historical event, which will empower women to learn how to fish rather than to be fished for. Though a lot has been achieved in line with women empowerment, the journey is still long for many to achieve their aspirations as well as live to their full potential,” added Yossa.
Ruth Asasira, the head of the DFCU Women in Business Program, says that statistics show that at 39 percent, Uganda is among the highest women entrepreneurial countries in Africa. However, they only access 24 percent of the credit facilities in the country, putting them at a disadvantage.
She adds that as a financial institution, they will leverage the upcoming symposium to elevate women’s awareness of accessibility to financing to bridge the existing gap.