PostBank Uganda, in collaboration with the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (FSME), has successfully trained 530 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the country in value addition and financial literacy under its flagship program, “Gattako Omutindo.”
Initially targeting 300 SMEs, the program exceeded its goal, equipping entrepreneurs with practical skills to boost their productivity and business growth.
The initiative is part of PostBank’s financial literacy and skills enhancement efforts, aimed at fostering sustainable development within Uganda’s SME sector.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony for the final cohort of participants in Kampala, Martin Lukyamuzi, PostBank’s Regional Head of Distribution for Greater Kampala, highlighted the program’s nationwide reach.
“This program has been implemented across the country. In Arua, we trained people on how to add value to cassava. In Fort Portal, we introduced tourism opportunities for farmers. In Soroti, we focused on value addition for millet, and here in Kampala, we worked on coffee value addition. Our goal is to help people prosper and grow, creating the income they need to improve their lives,” Lukyamuzi said.
He further affirmed PostBank’s commitment to extending the program in the coming years to empower more SMEs.
John Walugembe, Executive Director of FSME, commended the initiative for its practical approach.
“Under this program, we seek to equip entrepreneurs with skills that enable them to add value to their products and services. Uganda, being an agricultural country, needs to prioritise value addition in line with the government’s agro-industrialisation agenda,” Walugembe stated.
He also highlighted the unique collaboration between PostBank and FSME, which combines financial literacy with value addition training to provide a holistic grounding for entrepreneurs.
“This partnership merges FSME’s expertise in technical know-how with PostBank’s experience in financing businesses. Together, we aim to address the core challenges constraining SMEs, offering a model that others can emulate,” he added.
The program’s holistic approach equips SMEs to overcome business challenges, laying a foundation for sustainable economic growth and positioning the initiative as a benchmark for similar collaborations in Uganda’s SME sector.
