PostBank and WiBAS Empower Over 700 Women Entrepreneurs in Northern Uganda

In partnership with PostBank Uganda, the Women in Business Awards (WiBAS) has successfully trained over 719 women entrepreneurs through the second edition of the WiBAS Handholding Workshop.

This initiative targets women across the West Nile, Acholi, Lango, and Karamoja regions, equipping them with vital financial literacy and business management skills to foster sustainable business growth.

Under the theme “Handholding Women for Business Sustainability,” this year’s edition built on the success of last year’s inaugural session, which attracted over 220 participants, including women-led enterprises, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), SACCOs, and micro-businesses.

The expanded reach of this year’s program marks a significant step in enhancing women’s competitiveness, business acumen, and access to economic opportunities.

Uganda’s prominence on the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE)—ranked second globally with 38.4% of business owners being women—highlights the crucial role women play in the country’s economy. Women make up 52.5% of Uganda’s labour force.

However, despite this strong representation, many women-led businesses remain stunted due to persistent gender-specific challenges. These include legal and cultural barriers, limited access to finance, skills gaps, restricted networks, and household responsibilities that inhibit business growth.

Through its partnership with WiBAS, PostBank Uganda is addressing these barriers head-on. The bank provides tailored financial literacy and business training, raises awareness of government programs like GROW, PDM, and Emyooga, and connects women entrepreneurs to markets, technology, and customised financial solutions.

Enock Okwara Edwaru, PostBank Uganda’s Lira Branch Manager, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to empowering women as a pillar of Uganda’s economic transformation.

“We believe that women are the backbone of our communities and a key driver of Uganda’s economic transformation. Through initiatives like WiBAS, we are creating a supportive ecosystem that enables women to move from subsistence-level enterprises to sustainable businesses,” Edwaru said.

PostBank’s digital wallet platform, Wendi, is also playing a critical role in this transformation by offering women entrepreneurs accessible, affordable, and convenient financial services. Beyond facilitating daily transactions, Wendi supports better financial management through improved transparency, accountability, and record-keeping.