Lumonya noted that the population dynamics in Uganda dictate that women, who constitute the majority, must be at the forefront of efforts to enact societal change since they play a pivotal role in family and community welfare.
FINCA impact CEO Jeff Flowers on left with new FINCA Ambassador Jent Mudoola in the middle and Olive Lumonya board chaiperson together with FINCA Managing Director James Onyutta
The government has been asked to prioritize empowering women as a crucial step toward transforming society.
Olive Lumonya, the Deputy Director General of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority noted that the population dynamics in Uganda dictate that women, who constitute the majority, must be at the forefront of efforts to enact societal change since they play a pivotal role in family and community welfare.
According to the 2024 census conducted by the Uganda
Bureau of Statistics, women account for 51% of Uganda’s 46.5 million
population, surpassing men who make up 49%.
Lumonya, who is also the Chairperson of the Board at FINCA Uganda, was speaking at the unveiling of Janet
Mudoola as FINCA Uganda's new brand ambassador, a move aimed at supporting disadvantaged
women entrepreneurs, whether operating on a small or large scale.
Lumonya noted that in many households, women are
increasingly taking on responsibilities such as providing for their families,
paying school fees, and building homes. She asserted that recognizing and
supporting these efforts is essential for sustainable development.
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Mudoola has a long-standing history with the institution. She was one of
the first customers served by FINCA Uganda in Iganga in 1992 and was also the
first executive of the Twegate Kimanto group, established that same year. This
group became a cornerstone for village banking in Uganda.
Over the years, numerous efforts have been made to
integrate women into small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as part of a broader
strategy to involve them in sustainable development.
In 2016, the Government of Uganda launched the Uganda
Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP) to empower women by improving their
access to financial services, knowledge, and skills necessary for starting and
managing businesses, adding value to products, and effectively marketing goods
and services.
UWEP was specifically designed to address the challenges
women face in establishing economically viable enterprises, including limited
access to affordable credit, insufficient technical knowledge and skills for
business development, and restricted access to markets and business
opportunities.
Meanwhile, in a different development, Lumonya said that
there is also a need to financially empower refugees to foster a peaceful
coexistence between nationals and refugees. She explained that FINCA is
focusing on refugee empowerment as a means of preventing conflicts that may
arise from economic disparities.
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FINCA Impact Finance CEO Jeff Flowers
praised Janet Mudoola’s achievements and expressed optimism about FINCA
Uganda’s ongoing efforts to combat poverty. “Janet’s story is proof that when
given opportunity and resources, women will transform their lives and
communities,” he said
