Kabarole district authorities are concerned over the slow recovery of the revolving fund disbursed to beneficiaries under the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program-UWEP.
In the 2016/2017 financial year, the government established UWEP to strengthen the capacity of women for entrepreneurship development, provide affordable credit and support access to other financial services to enable women to establish and grow their business enterprises.
However, all is not well in Fort portal city and Kabarole district following the poor recovery of the money that was disbursed to the beneficiaries.
Beth Mbabazi, the Kabarole Senior Community Development Officer in charge of UWEP, says that both Fort portal city and Kabarole district have so far received Shillings 840million that was disbursed to 113 groups.
Mbabazi says that although the funds have changed the status of women in the city and district, there are a number of challenges affecting the program concerning the recovery of the state funds.
“We received Shillings 840 million but because of the poor recovery rate only Shillings 240 million has been recovered. This money is a revolving fund it must be returned to enable us to support other groups that have requested for the same,” Mbabazi said.
She cites some of the challenges as the disintegration of groups due to disagreements over the usage of the funds, the COVID-19 induced lockdowns and failure to get markets for the products of the various groups.
Joshua Kyalimpa, the Manager in charge of Advocacy UWEP in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, says that whereas some of the groups are performing well in Fort portal and Kabarole others have challenges.
Kyalimpa says that the government is putting up mechanisms to ensure that most of the businesses initiated by women using UWEP funds do not collapse.
Some of the beneficiary’s told URN that the funds have helped them to improve their financial status as well as household income.
Teddy Kabatooro, the head of the female Boda Boda Riders Association in Kabarole district, says that they received Shillings 12 million that they used to buy motorcycles to support their Boda boda business.
Among the worst-performing in Kabarole district are Ruteete, Kichwamba and Karangura sub-counties whereas the best performing is Kasenda.
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