The World Bank team has commenced a mission assessment of the GROW project implementation, under the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, aiming at increasing entrepreneurial services that enable women entrepreneurs expand their enterprises for the host and refugees.
The 10 day project assessment started on September 10, 2023, at the Ministry offices in Kampala. The project is a government initiative funded by World Bank with a USD 216 Million grant.
The project’s implementation is led by the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development Agency (MGLSDA), and Private Sector Foundation Uganda as the implementing entity.
Aggrey David Kibenge, the Permanent Secretary commended the team for its support from project design to approval stage.
“The delegation would hold various engagements for each sub component of the project to assess the implementation status,” Kibenge said.
He emphasized the importance, diligence and commitment from all stakeholders to meet the strict timelines because the project was declared effective in January 2023, and closes on December 31, 2027, and it’s non-extendable.
Margarita Pueto Gomez, the Senior Social Development Specialist and Task Team Leader GROW project, assured government of the banks support.
“The World Bank team is available to help the Ministry accelerate project implementation, addressing challenges related to procurement, disbursements as well as well funds absorption, among others,” Gomez said.
Alex Asiimwe, the Commissioner Project Coordinator and Ministry of Labour Industrial Relations and Productivity identified the milestones and challenges and informed the team that to achieve the development objective of the project, a wrap-around approach is being used to address the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Uganda.
“A package of integrated services is being provided to individuals or groups of women entrepreneurs and the grants manual as a disbursement condition was being finalized and the competition would start before the end of this year,” Asiimwe said.
The team from the World Bank is led by Margarita Pueto Gomez Senior Social Development Specialist and Task Team Leader GROW project, Samuel Clark, a Senior Social Development Specialist based in Nairobi, Kenya, Fatima Naqvi, Senior Social Protection Specialist, accompanied by a delegation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation from Seattle, USA.
