By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The government has maintained the minimum amount for GROW Loan at Shs4 million, Gender Minister, Hon. Betty Amongi Akena said.
According to the minister, there have been voices from women entrepreneurs requesting the government to lower the minimum loan amount from 4-200 million to at least 2 million. However, the minister noted that a cabinet meeting held in October last year, resolved to maintain the amount to Shs4 million.
“It was resolved that since GROW is an accelerator program, it should continue targeting those women who have businesses that need more funding than what is available in other women economic empowerment schemes of government of Uganda,” she said.
She said this will avoid duplication and maintain clarity on the designed scope of GROW project. Although, many beneficiaries continue to plead to the government to scrap off collateral requirements for GROW loans, Minister Among says the collateral enforces compliance and helps government through the partnering financial institutions to recover the funds in case of any defaults. She urged the beneficiaries to have the required collateral securities to be able to acquire loans, and asked them them to pay back the money to benefit other women.
Over 4,200 women including 1,375 refugees and 2,807 women from host communities have benefited from GROW Project skilling programs such as tailoring, agribusiness, digital marketing and tourism, and the project targets to support 280,000 women entrepreneurs with these services.
Stephen Asiimwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Private Sector Foundation Uganda says they are partnering with more institutions to support more women.
