PostBank Uganda, in partnership with the Women in Business Awards (WiBAS), has empowered 719 women entrepreneurs in Northern Uganda through the second edition of the WiBAS Handholding Workshop.
The initiative targeted women in West Nile, Acholi, Lango, and Karamoja with tailored financial literacy and business management training to support long-term business sustainability.
Held under the theme “Handholding Women for Business Sustainability”, this year’s workshop builds on the success of the 2023 inaugural session, which attracted 220 participants, including members of VSLAs, SACCOs, and micro-businesses.
The 2024 edition significantly expanded its reach, creating a vital platform for women to improve business competitiveness, enhance their acumen, and access wider economic opportunities.
Uganda continues to rank among the top countries globally for women’s participation in entrepreneurship.
According to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE), Uganda ranks second globally, with 38.4% of business owners being women, just behind Botswana at 38.5%. Additionally, women constitute 52.5% of Uganda’s labor force.
Despite these positive indicators, many women face persistent structural challenges that hinder the growth of their businesses. These include limited access to finance, restrictive gender norms, legal constraints, limited educational and business skills, and heavy household responsibilities. These barriers continue to undermine women’s financial independence and broader national economic growth.
In response, PostBank, through its partnership with WiBAS, is working to close these gaps. The bank offers financial education, access to tailored financial services, and creates awareness about key government programs such as GROW, PDM, and Emyooga. These efforts are designed to link women to markets, technology, and funding opportunities necessary for scaling their businesses.
“PostBank Uganda’s purpose is to foster prosperity for Ugandans,” said Enock Okwara Edwaru, Branch Manager of the Lira branch.
“We believe that women are the backbone of our communities and a key driver of Uganda’s economic transformation. Through initiatives like WiBAS, we are creating a supportive ecosystem that enables women to move from subsistence-level enterprises to sustainable businesses.”
One of the key enablers in this journey is Wendi, PostBank’s digital wallet.
Officials say the platform provides women entrepreneurs with convenient, affordable financial services tailored to their business needs. In addition to facilitating day-to-day transactions, Wendi also functions as a simple yet effective financial management tool that promotes transparency, accountability, and accurate record-keeping.
As Uganda continues to prioritize inclusive economic development, initiatives like WiBAS are setting the pace for empowering women to build resilient, growth-driven enterprises that contribute meaningfully to the country’s economy.
