Uganda has rolled out a new women empowerment programme designed to support village-level businesses that are contributing to the green economy. The Women’s Economic Empowerment for the Green Transformation Project (WEEG) will benefit about 600 women groups across the country, helping them expand their small businesses into sustainable and market-ready enterprises. The initiative is part of the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP), a government scheme that already supports more than 22,000 women organisations nationwide.
The WEEG project, which will directly impact over 5,000 rural women, was launched by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi. She explained that the programme is targeted at women already involved in environmentally friendly businesses such as waste recycling, renewable energy, agro-processing, eco-tourism and sustainable farming. According to the minister, women who make charcoal briquettes from rubbish, banana wine, herbal medicine from vegetables, or shoes from used car tyres will be given financial support, technical training, and market access.
“Every little support you give to rural women in terms of capital, they utilize it much more than us in offices,” Minister Amongi said at the launch. “If you empower a woman, the benefits stay at the household level and support the whole family. That is smart economics.” She stressed that the project is not reinventing the wheel but building on existing successful businesses that have already shown results in the communities.
The project is also part of a bigger international programme called Women’s Employment Promotion for the Green Transformation of Africa (WE4D), which is funded by the German government in partnership with the European Union (EU) and Norway. It is being implemented through the German Development Cooperation agency, GIZ. German Ambassador to Uganda, Matthias Schauer, said the initiative will tackle unemployment while also addressing environmental challenges. “By increasing the competitiveness of women’s groups in the green sector, we create employment, raise incomes, and protect the environment at the same time,” Ambassador Schauer noted.
One of the major barriers facing rural women entrepreneurs in Uganda is product certification. Without approval from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), most products cannot enter major supermarkets or international markets. The WEEG project will support certification, branding, and compliance with international quality standards to make women’s products more competitive.
For example, the Bakyala Tukole Amanda Mukasasiro Group in Masaka has grown steadily since 2018 when it was formed. The group started with 10 women but has expanded to 40 members. Their capital has increased from UGX 7 million to UGX 16 million, and they are producing eco-friendly charcoal briquettes made from organic waste. Group secretary Diana Babirye said the briquettes are affordable and efficient. “One briquette can burn for eight hours and costs UGX 2,500,” she explained. “With this project, we expect more machines, training, and access to bigger markets.”
The Commissioner for Gender and Women Affairs, Angela Nakafeero, explained that the project supports Uganda’s Vision 2040, which emphasises inclusive and sustainable development. She said women in Uganda own many businesses, but most remain small due to lack of finance, technology, and access to wider markets. “Uganda has one of the highest rates of women’s business ownership in Africa, yet most remain small-scale. This programme will help them scale up,” Nakafeero said.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Equal Opportunities, Barnard Mujini, described the project as a form of industrialisation at the household level. “We are focusing on certification, branding, and industrialising at the household level. This is an industrial revolution starting in our communities,” he said.
Minister Amongi called on government agencies, private sector companies, and community leaders to support women-led green enterprises, stressing that women’s empowerment was vital for national development. “When we invest in women, we invest in families, communities, and the nation. Women’s economic empowerment is not charity; it is smart economics,” she said.
With WEEG support, women entrepreneurs across Uganda are expected to expand beyond village-level markets, tap into regional and international value chains, and build businesses that contribute to both national growth and environmental sustainability.
