For nearly two decades, conversations about women in business have rightly centred on one word: access. Access to finance. Access to markets. Access to skills. Access to networks. Those conversations have been necessary because, for many women entrepreneurs, the biggest barrier was simply getting a seat at the table.
Today, however, Uganda stands at a different point in its entrepreneurial journey. Women are no longer asking only for inclusion. They are building competitive businesses, creating jobs, adopting technology, entering regional markets and increasingly participating in sectors that were once considered beyond their reach. The challenge has shifted from helping women start businesses to helping them scale businesses that can compete, innovate and become trusted suppliers within formal value chains.
That shift is exactly what informed the design of the second phase of the Advancing Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) programme. What began as a partnership between MTN Uganda and dfcu Bank to strengthen women-owned enterprises has evolved into a broader ecosystem designed to help women move from enterprise participation to enterprise leadership.
As our experience has consistently shown, when women entrepreneurs receive the right combination of finance, mentorship, market access and business development support, the impact extends well beyond individual enterprises, it strengthens industries, communities and the wider economy.
The first phase of AWE demonstrated what is possible when collaboration is intentional. More than 100 women-led businesses participated in the programme, collectively unlocking over UGX 62 billion in corporate contracts while increasing women-owned supplier participation within corporate ecosystems.
Those results proved that the real challenge facing many women entrepreneurs is no longer ambition. It is breaking through the growth ceiling that separates small businesses from sustainable enterprises capable of serving large organisations.
That is why AWE 2.0, launched this year under the theme “She Means Business,” goes much further than financing. Running until November 2026, the three-year programme is equipping women-owned businesses with digital transformation skills, investor readiness, ESG integration, procurement readiness and access to corporate supply chains in sectors such as technology, logistics and infrastructure.
Together with partners including MTN Uganda, The Innovation Village, the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and NSSF Hi-Innovators, the programme recognises that sustainable business growth requires an ecosystem rather than a single intervention.
At dfcu Bank, our contribution to AWE reflects a philosophy that has guided us for nearly two decades. We have committed UGX 30 billion over the life of the programme to support women entrepreneurs executing MTN Uganda and American Tower Company (ATC) contracts, offering subsidised financing at 1.4% per month alongside more flexible collateral requirements. However, finance is only one part of the solution. Businesses must also be investment-ready, governance-ready and procurement-ready if they are to thrive in increasingly competitive markets.
This philosophy is not new to us. Since 2007, dfcu’s Women in Business (WiB) programme has worked to remove barriers that prevent women-owned businesses from growing. Today, the programme has engaged between 74,000 and 85,000 women entrepreneurs across Uganda and facilitated more than UGX 95 billion in financing.
The same thinking underpins the dfcu Rising Woman Initiative, which has become one of Uganda’s most recognised platforms for celebrating and developing female entrepreneurship. Since its launch in 2018 in partnership with Nation Media Group, the initiative has provided face-to-face training to more than 60,000 women, while its virtual engagements have reached well over one million people.
Through annual competitions, seed funding exceeding UGX 120 million, mentorship and international learning opportunities, Rising Woman has consistently challenged the perception that women-owned businesses belong only in the informal economy. Instead, it has showcased women as innovators, manufacturers, exporters, technology entrepreneurs and employers.
Our participation in the Government of Uganda’s Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project further strengthens this ecosystem approach. As one of only five financial institutions selected to implement the World Bank-supported financing facility, dfcu offers specialised financing products to women entrepreneurs at concessionary interest rates of 10% per annum.
Through products such as the Business Growth Loan, Agricultural Production Loan, Contract Financing and Asset Financing, we are supporting women businesses across different sectors and stages of growth. GROW complements both Women in Business and AWE by ensuring that women entrepreneurs can access affordable finance matched to their business ambitions.
When viewed together, these initiatives tell a much bigger story. Women in Business provides the long-term foundation. Rising Woman builds confidence, visibility and entrepreneurial capability. GROW expands access to affordable capital. AWE connects women-owned enterprises directly to corporate supply chains and procurement opportunities. Rather than operating as isolated programmes, they form a continuum that supports entrepreneurs from start-up through to enterprise scale.
This integrated approach matters because today’s economy requires businesses that are digitally enabled, financially disciplined, environmentally conscious and operationally mature. Increasingly, large corporations are looking beyond price when selecting suppliers. They are assessing governance structures, ESG performance, financial reporting, cybersecurity, quality assurance and compliance standards. The women who will lead tomorrow’s economy are those who prepare for these expectations today.
This is also why AWE 2.0 places strong emphasis on ESG and digital transformation. Sustainability is no longer a concept reserved for multinational corporations. Customers, investors and supply chains increasingly expect businesses of every size to demonstrate responsible governance, environmental awareness and social impact.
Likewise, digital capability has moved from being a competitive advantage to becoming a basic business requirement. Women-owned enterprises that embrace these capabilities will be better positioned to secure contracts, attract investment and expand into regional markets.
Uganda’s private sector cannot achieve its full potential while half of its entrepreneurial talent remains underrepresented in corporate value chains. Women already own and manage thousands of businesses across agriculture, manufacturing, retail, logistics, professional services and technology. The opportunity now is to ensure that these businesses become larger employers, stronger exporters and trusted corporate partners capable of driving national economic transformation.
For almost 20 years, dfcu has believed that empowering women entrepreneurs is a strategic investment in Uganda’s economic future. Every thriving women-owned enterprise creates employment, strengthens households, expands the tax base and contributes to more inclusive economic growth. When women succeed, supply chains become stronger, communities become more resilient and the entire economy benefits.
The conversation, therefore, is no longer about giving women a seat at the table; Uganda’s women entrepreneurs have already earned that place. The next chapter is ensuring they have the capital, capabilities, partnerships and opportunities to help shape the future of our economy.
And for dfcu, we remain committed to ensuring that women are not only participating in Uganda’s growth story, but they are also leading it.
