Women Businesses in Green Technologies to Get Funding
Women running businesses in green technologies such as renewable energy, conservation farming and agro-processing are to benefit from a funding by Germany, the European Union and NORAD. The support will come through the Employment Promotion for Women for the Green Transformation in Africa (WE4D) programme that was launched by gender minister Betty Amongi.
Germany, the European Union, and NORAD will provide support to women who run green technology firms, such as those engaged in agro-processing, renewable energy, and conservation agriculture. The Employment Promotion for Women for the Green Transformation in Africa (WE4D) program, which was unveiled by Gender Minister Betty Amongi on Thursday, August 29, 2024, at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, includes this financial support.
The three-year programme, which is an initiative under the German Development Co-operation, is specifically designed to enhance women’s participation in businesses that contribute to the green transformation of the continent.
Under the programme, women will be taken through comprehensive training covering skills, workplace, environmental standards, and life skills, so that women can ably work and benefit from the Green Economy.
Enterprises in the green economy that the programme targets include agriculture/Agro-processing, the blue economy/aquaculture, renewable energies, circular economy/waste management, eco-tourism, as well as traditional sectors like transport, logistics and construction.
While launching the project, Amongi said the ministry will support women across Uganda to become active in conserving the environment, while earning from enterprises that promote conservation.
To access funding, women will apply through their savings and credit co-operatives at the sub-county level, with the help of community development officers, verified by a team at district level and the chief administrative officer before the ministry can release the money to the women groups that qualify.
WE4D Team leader Michael Seng highlighted that the programme is demand-driven, targeting sectors with high potential for women’s employment and contributing to a sustainable green economic transformation
Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ), in partnership with the European Union and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the programme will be implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) collaboration with the gender ministry.
