Uganda’s Centenary Bank unveiled its Women’s Market program, Cente Supawoman Club, in June of 2015 to help the country’s women entrepreneurs overcome the barriers to success they face. Since then the program has performed admirably, recently topping 2,000 clients and 20,000 women entrepreneurs trained on business skills and financial literacy across the country.
Entrepreneurship among women in Uganda is strong, with the ILO estimating 44 percent of businesses in the country are owned by women. However, Centenary Bank’s market research revealed that the country’s female business owners struggle with access to finance, education, networks and business advice. The bank saw an opportunity to capture this market by filling these needs with the tailored financial products, business advisory and mentoring services, and financial management and literacy trainings female business owners in Uganda need to succeed.
The bank’s business trainings have proven particularly popular, with women entrepreneurs reporting increased confidence and knowledge of finance and marketing. Centenary Bank expects the Cente Supawoman Club’s impact to continue to grow, projecting a doubling of its female client base to 4,000 by the end of the year, with 50,000 women entrepreneurs reached through trainings.