Over 100,000 women and youth have benefited from Equity Bank’s Enterprise Development and Financial Inclusion program since its inception two years ago. Last year alone, 2,191 women joined the program, which aims to promote financial independence and growth.
Many graduates have expanded their businesses, improved their personal and family welfare, and continue to empower others in their communities.
Sylvia Akankwasa, Rebecca Katisi, and Yahala Khasifa are among the program’s success stories. They credit Equity Bank’s support for their businesses’ survival and growth. Akankwasa, owner of His Grace International in Arua, recalls: “We were on the verge of total collapse… Equity Bank gave me the benefit of the doubt and lent me money under the Equity Mama facility.”
Her business has since grown, employing seven workers, and she has received another line of credit to expand into fruit juice and wine production.
Yahala Khasifa, a timber dealer, expresses her gratitude to Equity Bank, saying: “I have been able to grow… I have also invested in land and plan to develop it.”
Rebecca Katisi, proprietor of Bulambuli RV Millers, credits Equity Bank for her success, advising fellow women to partner with the bank for growth. She recalls opening a savings account on a whim, which eventually accumulated to Shs12 million, enabling her to buy land and build rentals.
The program has trained 115,956 youth and women in financial literacy and entrepreneurship education, with a gender bias favoring women and youth. Selected MSMEs receive advice, mentorship, and training to access financial and technical resources, stimulating job creation and growth.
