Al-Hajj Noor declares that Busoga is open for business as PSFU Women’s Day Katale 2024 gets underway.

The third season of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) Women’s Day Katale kicked off Friday at the Dam Waters Rugby Grounds in Jinja City.

The event which will take three days is running under the theme “Bridging Economic Divides for Women’s Prosperity”.

The Second Deputy Katukiro (Prime Minister) of Busoga Kingdom, Al-Hajj Osman Ahmed Noor

The Second Deputy Katukiro (Prime Minister) of Busoga Kingdom, Al-Hajj Osman Ahmed Noor, graced the event on behalf of the chief guest and Busoga Kingdom Inhebantu (Queen), Her Majesty Jovia Mutesi.

PSFU Chief Executive Officer Stephen Asiimwe, the Bugweri District Woman MP Hon. Rachael Magoola, PSFU Board Vice Chairperson, Sarah Kagingo, PSFU Board Members including Hon. Victoria Sekitoleko and Badru Ntege graced day one of season three of the Katale.

The Second Deputy Katukiro (Prime Minister) of Busoga Kingdom, Al-Hajj Osman Ahmed Noor

In his speech, Al-Hajj Noor who represented Her Majesty Mutesi, said that Jinja and the Greater Busoga Region is open for partnerships aimed at economic transformation and empowerment, underpinning the role of women and youth in development.

He noted that minus the Katale, Busoga Kingdom will work closely with PSFU to ensure that more women and Youth benefit from other projects like LFS, GROW and INVITE.

Al-Hajj Noor also inspected the stalls of the exhibitors as a way of supporting and celebrating young women in business.

Voices of Women Entrepreneurs

The young women in business displayed a variety of products and got an opportunity to narrate the stories that inspired their businesses and get some feedback from the public.

Charlotte Patricia, one of the young women exhibiting, comes from Neighbourhood NGO (Watoto Church). Neighbourhood NGO empowers and engages women from slums and they do this through discipleship and skill training in bakery, tailoring, and hairdressing among other activities that can enable the vulnerable women to have a source of income.

Patricia encouraged everyone from the Busoga region and beyond to come and attend the Katale, and buy from and partner with them.  “When you buy any item from the Neighbourhood NGO stall, the proceeds go towards supporting the vulnerable mothers and their children,” she noted.

Rebecca Nantumbwe Sewava’s heart beats for teenage mothers. Having been one herself, Sewava would go on to start “The Door of Hope Foundation for Teenage Mothers”.

At her foundation, Sewava equips teenage mothers with skills in craft making, tailoring, and making carpets and jewellery. Given the background of these young mothers, she, therefore, calls upon them, especially those in Jinja to come through and buy from their stall as a way of supporting these teenage mothers.

Ritah Leticia Namukose of Leticia Craft Works makes crotchet bags, necklaces, earrings, and cross bags. Having attended the previous editions of the Katale, Leticia was excited and couldn’t wait to exhibit her products.

Among her expectations of this year’s season of the event is to interact with fellow young women in business, network with them as well as grow her business.

In 2022, PSFU together with Mastercard Foundation held the inaugural season of the Katale in Luwero District. Last year, PSFU took the Katale to the heart of Kampala.

Creative industry

The creative industry has over the years proven to have the potential to be an engine for job creation if well organized. As a way of showcasing and popularising the creative sector, various icons from industries including Fashion, content creation, and music, among others will be present and facilitating in the Kreative Village.

These will not only serve as vessels of inspiration for young people especially women to take up opportunities in the creative space but also create opportunities for them to network, learn, build their skills, create work opportunities, and enhance their capacity in various aspects of business, especially in the creative sector.

Daniel Kazibwe also known as Ragga Dee, PSFU Board Member who represented the Arts, Culture & Creative Industry, goes beyond representing the arts and creative industry.

To show that he still has it in him and knows how to work for a crowd, Ragga Dee performed the majority of his old-time classics and the crowds loved them.

Ragga Dee