80 women social entrepreneurs graduate from the 360 WEN Social Business Accelerator Programme

On 27th January, 2023 we held the fourth graduation ceremony for the 80 women social entrepreneurs in the 360 WEN Social Business Accelerator Programme at our Social Entrepreneurship Hub, Kajjansi. This graduation ceremony was special because its focused on women enterprises who have undergone our 360-degree Women Entrepreneurs Network programme to mark their business progress and business growth.

Graduates during their graduation ceremony.

Capital Solutions together with Mkazipreneur launched the 360° women entrepreneurs Network on the March, 17 2022 as an end-to- end solution to address the deep-rooted gender biased in the entrepreneurial eco system. We have worked 100 women entrepreneurs to build and scale their businesses through the training, mentorship, marketing and financial access.

The 360° WEN was an innovative locally designed solution for urban and semi-urban based women entrepreneurs in order to scale their businesses, access to finance, network and mentors both Gender based investors and peers in business. This initiative was implemented by Capital Solutions Ltd in partnership with Mkazipreneur, with support from Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) Gender Equality Action Labs and The United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

During the graduation ceremony, the CEO Capital Solutions, Dr Joyce Tamale (FCCA) gave the opening remarks where she noted that the 6 months training of the Social Business Accelerator programme provided the entrepreneurs with the skills, systems and processes to confidently grow and improve their businesses during her opening remarks.

Prof. Peter K. Turyakira (PhD), the key note speaker during his address mentioned that Social Businesses are about improving lives of communities and Capital Solutions is visionary to ensuring building of sustainable businesses. Some of the invited distinguished guests included  Dr. Cathy Ikiror Mbidde, Richard Tugume Tulyahikayo Barbara Nambi Rosemary Amondi  and Nelson Mugisha Mulera,CIM

The event ended with issuing of certificates, awards to the best pitch deck winner and the most active women entrepreneurs during the programme.

Our Social Business Accelerator Programme is a six-month program that boosts Social Business Owners at start up level to scaling level. It is an innovation of post Covid-19 era designed in a unique way and brings hands on social entrepreneurship experience from experts in social entrepreneurship. The six-months engagement looks at a holistic approach though: personal and business profiling, financial management, leadership, fundraising, marketing & sales, Monitoring and evaluation, investment readiness among others.

Of the 100 Social Businesses 80% are largely micro and small social enterprises led by women who are innovatively solving community challenges in low-income communities within Uganda. The 20% are youth involved in multi sectors including but not limited to, climate change, health, energy, education, engineering as well as fashion

The Women Enterprises are extremely unique businesses run by passionate entrepreneurs ready to impact the world in different sectors including education, agribusiness, Health, technology, renewable energy, tourism and transport among others.

Our Business development skills training for the Accelerator Program has been deeply articulated using design thinking approach, and the trainings are conducted by experienced entrepreneurs. The training has provided the entrepreneurs with the skills, systems and processes to confidently grow and improve their businesses to scale and increase social impact.

The first 80 participants that have gone through this Programme have now designed a sustainability models for their businesses and some have even rethought their businesses totally. We shall now move to phase two where all graduates will be supported to become investment ready and able to pitch for investors to scale their businesses.