All is set for the official launch of the 2020 edition of the Rising Woman Initiative (Season Three) aimed at promoting the entrepreneurial spirit amongst Ugandan women and growing their businesses is on.
The Rising Woman Initiative (Season Three) shall be launched tomorrow Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala.
The Initiative runs under the theme “Taking your business ahead” and is aimed at recognizing, celebrating and promoting a culture of business mentorship among women-in-business in Uganda.
The Rising Woman Initiative is a collaborative brainchild of Uganda Investment Authority, Monitor Publications Limited’s flagship brand, The Daily Monitor, and dfcu Bank’s Women-in-Business (WiB) programme.
The Rising Woman Initiative targets women entrepreneurs engaged in micro, small and medium enterprises and members of organisations like Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL), Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA) and Uganda Manufacturers’ Association (UMA).
The objectives of the 2020 Rising Woman Initiative (Season Three) are:
- To provide a platform for women in business to escalate their businesses to great heights.
- To showcase women in business through profiling and advertising in the media.
- To provide women with financing solutions that meet their needs while negating the phobia for borrowing among women.
- To provide leading solutions for women in business.
- To bring dfcu Bank and MPL services closer to business women in Uganda.
- To interface directly and train over 500 women and over 20,000 indirectly during the online Business power talks and the trainings.
- To organize online forums for women to interface with their mentors and share ideas on how to improve their businesses.
- To profile successful women in business as an inspiration to the larger women in business fraternity.
The Rising Woman Initiative Season Three will be tailored to speak to women-in-business’ responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The participants in the Initiative will engage in a series of trainings in areas like leadership skills, business IT skills, business proposal writing, communication and negotiation skills, financial management, networking skills, marketing, sales and customer care service, strategic thinking and planning, amongst others.
The trainings will be supplemented by webinars that will be featured on digital platforms of Monitor Publications Limited and its sister media house, NTV-Uganda.
To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, the activities have been scaled down and will adhere to Ministry of Health preventive measures and Government guidelines.
The training activities shall be restricted to only six up-country locations: Masaka, Soroti, Ibanda, Ntungamo, Iganga and Kitgum.
The top three winners will walk away with cash prizes (UGX 15 million, UGX 10 million and UGX 5 million respectively. In addition, the following 17 winning business proposals will also receive UGX 2 million each.
Benefits of being of a part of the Rising Woman initiative include:
- Networking and learning opportunities at six power talks/forums countrywide (Masaka, Soroti, Ibanda, Ntungamo, Iganga and Kitgum) addressing issues the businesses are facing.
- Specialized pricing on all rate cards and bank products for all women in the club.
- Mentorship programs with business advisors, financial experts and investors. Mentorship programs will run in areas of taxation, business performance and investment, among others.
- Exposure to various international business investment opportunities and strategic partnerships.
- Access to the industrial parks countrywide.
- Exposure trip for 10 women with the most exciting proposals.
- Cash prizes for the top three winning proposals (15 million, 10 million and 5 million respectively) and 2 million to each of the next 17 proposals.
All dfcu Bank’s Women-in-Business participants also benefit from:
- Business advisory services.
- Support from a Relationship Manager.
- Business training and mentorship trainings.
- Local & international business linkages and study tours; and
- Opportunity to grow savings through dfcu investment clubs.
How to participate in the Rising Woman Initiative (Season Three):
Interested businesses or business women should visit www.dfcubank.com to download a form with guidelines on proposal writing and then submit the proposals at any dfcu Bank branch, Daily Monitor offices country wide and UIA offices or to District Commercial Officers in their respective districts.
Participating in the Business Training/Power Talks:
To participate in the business training/power talks in Masaka, Soroti, Ibanda, Ntungamo, Iganga and Kitgum, please register with District Commercial Officers in the respective districts.
Alternatively, call the following for guidance on the application process:
- Leslie on 0782-948915;
- Victoria on 0776-760603; or
- Joshua – 0701-770983.
The Rising Woman Initiative (Season Three): Taking your business ahead!