The Minister of Trade and Industry Amelia Kyambadde has asked women in business to offer quality services to the public and observe the standards that businesses require in the country in order to improve their competitiveness.
Trade minister Amelia Kyambadde
“Most of the women in this country are in services which constitutes 58 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 34 percent last year. I urge you to keep these numbers growing but provide quality,” Kyambadde said.
The Minister was speaking at a Business Professional Women (BPW) dinner on Wednesday where she launched the Kampala chapter that saw over a hundred women from both the private and public sector attend.
BPW is an international movement that seeks to expand women’s participation in representation and leadership, achieving equal pay for work of equal value and advancing women’s economic empowerment.
“There is so much work to do in Uganda, as there is in the world. Much work to empower women, for once we do so, we can change the world,” said Prof. Maggie Kigozi, while delivering a speech from Freda Miriklis, president of international federation of BPW.
Kigozi however said that though the mitigating factor for most women entrepreneurs was limited finance, backed by limited ownership of securities and financial training, she urged the women to invest in their businesses that will see them reap big in the long run.
“The Government is the biggest buyer in this country therefore if you invest in your businesses well, you will not lack market,” she said.
While sharing her testimony to the women, Amina Hersi, the Proprietor Oasis malls confessed to have done a lot of work as a rural girl.
“My mother was not educated but she always took my siblings and I wherever she went for any business transaction. Be it in the garden or in the market and that is how I learnt business,” Hersi said
“I run a family business whose foundation was built by my grandfather. We have to bring our children on board and engage them in business as early as 9 years old,” she said.
BPW international is the longest running women’s organization in the world and is represented at the United Nations, regionally through various commissions.
By Cecilia Okoth and Claire Nakaayi, The New Vision
