Over 50 Ugandan SMEs Graduate Green Business Bootcamps

Over 50 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) hailing from Kampala, Busoga, and West Nile regions have successfully concluded a series of three-day “Green Jobs Bootcamps.” These intensive training sessions were designed to bolster Uganda’s burgeoning green and circular economy.

The bootcamps are part of the “WeWork — Green and Decent Jobs for Youth” project, specifically channeled through The Good Green Business Accelerator. This initiative is a collaborative effort by SHONA Group, in partnership with Enabel and the Ugandan government, with financial backing from the European Union and the Kingdom of Belgium.

Selected from hundreds of applicants, the participating businesses operate in diverse sectors crucial to sustainability. These include renewable energy, sustainable farming, smart irrigation, eco-friendly fashion and interior design, ecotourism, waste management, green construction, and digital marketplaces for green materials.

While SMEs form the backbone of Uganda’s private sector, contributing significantly to GDP and manufacturing, many green enterprises face hurdles such as limited funding, insufficient business skills, and difficulties in talent acquisition. The “WeWork” project aims to address these challenges through capacity building, facilitating access to finance, and connecting businesses with skilled talent.

Regina Bamugye, Project Manager at SHONA Group, emphasized the goal: “Our objective is to move entrepreneurs from being green by accident to being green by design.” She added that by enhancing business acumen and integrating green value chains, the SMEs are being prepared for growth, better access to capital, and the creation of decent jobs for young Ugandans.

Participants found the bootcamps invaluable. Aminata Najjingo, founder of Amylia Fashions, shared, “I’m leaving with so much to take home, greater clarity, practical tools, new perspectives, and meaningful networks.” She expressed eagerness to implement her business’s three-year growth plan.

Moving forward, selected businesses will benefit from ongoing advisory support, capacity-building, and opportunities for catalytic matching grants. Additionally, talent matching grants will subsidize a portion of wages for newly hired young employees for up to six months, further fostering job creation.

Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/375330/over-50-smes-complete-green-jobs-bootcamps