UIA, NMG, dfcu Bank dispatch 2022 winners of Rising Woman in Business

NMG-Uganda Managing Director  Tony Glencross (holding flag), Ms Winnie Lawoko, the director for domestic investment at UIA (5th left), Mr William Sekabembe, the  acting chief executive officer and managing director of dfcu Bank (7th left), and the winners of the 2022 Rising Woman in Business competition at the dfcu headquarters in Kampala on February 7, 2023. PHOTO/STEPHEN OTAGE

The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Nation Media Group (NMG), and dfcu Bank, have dispatched 10 winners of the 2022 Rising Woman in Business Competition, for a benchmarking trip to Nairobi.

According to Ms Winnie Lawoko, the director for domestic investment directorate at UIA, they expect the 10 winners to grow, increase their staff and revenue.

“That is what we expect them to do. But also, we expect them to pay back to society. They have been helped, [so] we expect them to mentor businesses, to grow other businesses within their value chains. I am sure it is going to be a productive tour,” she said.

She added that the winners will be equipped with business knowledge through meeting different experts.
While flagging off the team at dfcu headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala, yesterday Mr Tony Glencross, the NMG-Uganda managing director, observed that it is fulfilling to facilitate the growth of businesses.

“We need a growing economy of entrepreneurs who are growing from small businesses to medium and to large. If you look at the programmes the Nation Media Group is involved in, the Rising Woman, the Top 100 medium sized companies, we have the same partners, the same goals. We are nurturing the same businesses, and we are growing in all these aspects,” he said.

Mr Glencross added that the role of the media is to give back to society, because a thriving community needs a thriving media which is good for democracy and empowerment.

He said in March, they would be launching this year’s competition based on the same concept.

Mr William Sekabembe, the  acting chief executive officer and managing director of dfcu Bank, said the sponsorship of the 10 winners is a testimony of the bank’s special interest in women.

“We are here as witnesses, to deliver on our promise of seeing off the winners of the fifth edition of the Raising Woman campaign. As dfcu, we have special interests in women and that is why if you look at our business, we have set up a unique department dealing with women in business. That’s not by mistake,” he said.

He said the bank’s vision is to transform businesses owned by women and the vulnerable population.

Ms Ruth Asasira, the manager of Rising Woman in Business dfcu Bank, said the initiative aims at nurturing women entrepreneurs in financial management, and customer care training.

She added that they are flagging off last year’s winners for an exposure trip to Nairobi and they believe that they can generate a good membership support for their business.

In total, 30 women have been supported in five years of the programme.