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On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2026, the Uganda Green Enterprise Finance Accelerator (UGEFA) is proud to announce the launch of UGEFA4Her, a dedicated initiative designed to support women-led green enterprises in Uganda to scale their businesses and access the finance they need to grow.
Women entrepreneurs are a vital driving force behind Uganda’s economy. An estimated 40% of the country’s micro- and small enterprises are women-owned, and women play a critical role in sectors ranging from sustainable agriculture to renewable energy and waste management. Yet women continue to face a persistent financing gap: across Africa, an estimated USD 42 billion in financing remains inaccessible to women entrepreneurs, according to the African Development Bank.
In Uganda, the challenge is particularly acute. Women earn on average 30% lower profits than men and tend to operate businesses concentrated in lower value-addition sectors, not because of lack of ambition, but because of structural barriers including limited access to collateral, gender bias in lending, and the disproportionate burden of unpaid care responsibilities.
“Over the past five years, UGEFA has supported 206 green enterprises in Uganda. We’ve seen extraordinary growth: 142% average revenue increase and over 1,000 green jobs created. But we’ve also seen that women entrepreneurs consistently face additional hurdles” said Christine Meyer, UGEFA Programme Lead. “They’re often the ones with the strongest community impact, yet the hardest time accessing finance. Women-led enterprises need more than awards, small prize money or showcasing – they need systematic approaches to remove barriers and inequalities and to leverage the full potential of their businesses.”
UGEFA4Her builds on UGEFA’s proven two-tier approach –capacity building and access to finance– with tailored adaptations for women entrepreneurs:
- Business development support designed around the realities women entrepreneurs face, including flexible scheduling, additional advisory and targeted financial literacy training
- Mentoring and networking with successful women entrepreneurs
- Tailored financial products (subsidised loans), structured to address specific challenges facing women-led enterprises
- One-on-one advisory from experienced Business Advisors, including women advisors who understand the local context
- A peer network connecting women-led green enterprises to share knowledge, opportunities and support
The launch of UGEFA4Her aligns with this year’s International Women’s Day campaign theme “Give To Gain”, a message that resonates deeply with UGEFA’s mission. When we invest in women entrepreneurs, we gain stronger businesses, more green jobs, greater climate impact and more resilient communities.
The Green Enterprise Finance Accelerator is funded fully by the European Union and implemented by adelphi global gGmbH.
For media enquiries, please contact: Paula Cros Marchena, Communications Specialist cros.marchena@adelphi.de
For programme enquiries: info@ugefa.eu
