By Charles katabalwa,
KAMPALA
Women Entrepreneurs have been advised to keep records of their businesses and invest wisely if they want to benefit from the money they borrow to grow their businesses.
World bank through the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) Grow project, gave a grant of USD 217 million including USD 40 million for refugees and refugees host districts(RHDs) to lend to 60,000 female owned enterprises (including 3,000 refugee owned business) from 135 districts,11 cities and RHDs. The 5 years project kick started in January 2023 and ends December 31, 2027.
Grow grant aims at support creation and strengthening of women Entrepreneur platforms, community mobilization and mindset change through empowering them with access to resources, networks, mentorship and information through organized platforms.
The grant also supports micro-enterprises through competition grants which includes over 1,000 new and established micro and small women enterprises, including 150 situated in refugee hosting districts.
While addressing women beneficiaries from central region districts and cities of Uganda including Masaka city, Masaka, district, Nakaseke, Mubende, Mityana ,Mpigi Districts among others, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda the minister of Kampala and metropolitan area who was representing the Minister of GLSD to open the one day awareness workshop organized by Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) at Royal suits Bugoloobi in Nakawa Division said that many Women fail to get profit from borrowed money because they don’t know how to invest it as well as keeping records of how their businesses. The workshop was organized to equipment women Entrepreneurs on how to use Grant money. 
Kabanda says women should not use this money for luxury things to avoid defaulting those Loans hence ending up in jail for misuse of government funds
She also advised them to engage their husbands while borrowing money to avoid domestic violence.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Kukundakwe, the Gender specialist at PSFU ,grow project told women entrepreneurs to desist from investing in projects which are harmful to the environment and human nature because they Will not be funded by Grow project.
