By Mulengera Reporters
Dr Ruth Biyinzika, the National Coordinator of the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project, has named a baby boy born during a women’s entrepreneurship training in Kabale, earning her the affectionate title of “Mama GROW” as local leaders pledged support for women’s economic empowerment in Rubanda District.
The baby, named Glory, was born during the Advanced Skills Enhancement Training for Women Entrepreneurs held at the Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education (UNITE) in Kabale. The training brought together more than 300 women from Rubanda District and ran from October 12 to October 23, 2026.
Dr Biyinzika embraced the newborn and named him Glory, in a heartwarming moment that added a personal touch to the closing ceremony. Participants had already bestowed on her the name “Mama GROW” in recognition of her leadership and commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs.
The ceremony was presided over by Finance, Planning and Economic Development Minister Henry Musasizi, who urged the women to turn the skills acquired during the training into sustainable sources of income, despite the challenges posed by limited land in the Kigezi sub-region.
Musasizi noted that the average landholding in Kigezi is about 0.8 acres, calling on residents to make productive use of their available land instead of viewing its small size as a barrier to economic progress.
He urged women involved in agriculture and horticulture to plan their activities carefully, calculate costs and expected returns, and focus on enterprises that can generate meaningful income.
“Farm with kibaro,” he advised, encouraging participants to approach farming as a business rather than an activity undertaken without clear financial targets.
The minister also encouraged women without access to land to pursue vocational skills such as tailoring, hairdressing and cosmetology, which can provide alternative income opportunities.
He called on local leaders and parish extension officers to follow up on the trainees and help them connect with government livelihood initiatives, including the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga.
Musasizi further encouraged women who lacked individual collateral to form groups that could use group guarantees to improve their chances of accessing financing.
He also urged Members of Parliament and local leaders to work together to monitor government programmes and ensure they deliver tangible benefits to communities.
The GROW Project is implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development through the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), with funding from the World Bank.
During the training, women received practical skills in agriculture and horticulture, tailoring, beauty and hairdressing, and cosmetology, equipping them to establish new enterprises or improve existing businesses.
Dr Biyinzika commended participants who had already put their skills to community service, including women who made clothes and donated them to a health centre and schools.
She also praised trainees in beauty and cosmetology who offered free services to residents at Karukara Market, describing the initiatives as examples of how skills development can benefit both individuals and the wider community.
To support the women’s access to finance, 22 participants opened accounts with Centenary Bank, DFCU Bank, Pride Microfinance and Pearl Bank as a step towards seeking GROW loans.
Dr Biyinzika said the project had profiled all 300 participants and would follow up to assess how they were applying their newly acquired skills. She encouraged the women to share their knowledge with others in their villages to expand the impact of the training.
Rubanda District Woman Member of Parliament Everlyn Ninsiima Kikafunda welcomed the initiative, saying practical skills could help women create jobs, grow existing businesses and improve household incomes.
She also thanked President Yoweri Museveni for appointing Musasizi as Finance Minister, commending his role in government.
Rubanda West MP Bruce Kabaasa pledged to work with Musasizi to ensure the district benefits from government programmes. He also praised Kikafunda for representing the interests of women and residents in Parliament.
The training forms part of the GROW Project’s broader effort to strengthen women-owned businesses by improving their entrepreneurial skills and expanding opportunities for access to finance.
As the ceremony concluded, the “Mama GROW” title and the naming of baby Glory stood out as defining moments of an event centred on women’s empowerment, practical skills and the pursuit of greater economic independence. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
