Small-scale business owners, especially those engaged in activities like frying pancakes or selling cassava, voiced concerns that the programme seems to favour larger enterprises.
Women in Ssembabule District are worried they may miss out on benefiting from the government's GROW (Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises) program due to stringent requirements.
During a meeting organised by Hon. Gorreth Namugga at Mateete Town Council, the women expressed frustration over the excessive documentation demanded to access the funds.
They revealed that they are being asked to provide land titles, vehicle logbooks, business licenses, and other documents that many of them do not possess.
Small-scale business owners, especially those engaged in activities like frying pancakes or selling cassava, voiced concerns that the programme seems to favour larger enterprises.
They highlighted that the four million shillings minimum capital requirement is too high for them, making the funds inaccessible to the very people the program was intended to uplift.
"It feels like the funds are designed for the wealthy," one woman lamented.
Bank officials from institutions such as PostBank and Centenary Bank explained that collateral, including land agreements and vehicle logbooks, is mandatory to secure loans, which further complicates access for low-income earners.
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Namutegere Kimanje Nsubuga, chairperson of Mateete Subcounty, criticised the banks for imposing such tough conditions.
He argued that the funds were introduced by the government and Parliament to assist low-income earners in overcoming poverty, but the current approach is discouraging those it was meant to support.
John Tamale Kaddu, an expert from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, clarified that the GROW funds target women who are already engaged in income-generating activities and aim to help them improve the quality of their products and services.
Gorreth Namugga, MP for Mawogola County, acknowledged that many government programs have failed due to poor sensitisation, allowing some leaders to misuse the funds.
She reassured the women that she is committed to establishing a women's bank where they can access low-interest loans to continue growing their businesses.
The GROW program, recently launched by the government, is intended to support rural women by providing funds to help them expand their enterprises and improve their livelihoods.
