news 14 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Trains Over 6,400 Refugee Women in Entrepreneurship for Self-Reliance
The Ugandan government has trained more than 6,400 refugee women and host community members in business skills through the World Bank-funded GROW Project to boost self-reliance amid shrinking aid. Recent sessions in Fort Portal empowered 500 participants from Rwamwanja Settlement with practical enterprise knowledge. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-turns-to-entrepreneurship-training-to-empower-refugee-women-5390988
The Ugandan government is pushing entrepreneurship training to help refugee women achieve financial independence. Under the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project, funded by the World Bank, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and Private Sector Foundation Uganda have reached over 6,400 women nationwide.
The initiative targets refugees and locals in regions like Bugisu, Sebei, Soroti, Bunyoro, Ankole, Bushenyi, and now Fort Portal City. On March 12, 2026, over 500 refugee women, including 211 from Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement, attended a session there.
Experts say the program arose from a study revealing women’s struggles with business knowledge, skills shortages, and market access. It organizes women into platforms for sharing market info, networking, and accessing finance at various levels.
Charles Martin Bagoole, a GROW Project specialist, noted the training covers essential skills for starting and growing ventures. Charles Ocici of Enterprise Uganda emphasized mindset shifts: ‘The number one capital is the entrepreneur—how you use your brain and time.’ He encouraged focusing on customer value, like selling eggs or produce, regardless of refugee status.
Sarah Achen, Assistant Settlement Commandant at Rwamwanja, highlighted economic hardships from limited jobs, agriculture dependency, and fading donor funds. She praised the training for teaching business management and loan access.
With Uganda hosting over 1.4 million refugees, officials plan to expand the project for broader economic inclusion.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)