Gov’t launches $10million project to support small-scale businesswomen
By Ajah Jennifer
The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare has launched a $10million entrepreneurial project to support 1,200 women owning small-scale business enterprises.
The project is aimed at empowering women aged 18 to 60 and will involve them in seeds and growth labs.
Speaking at the event yesterday, Minister Aya Benjamin Warille said the establishment of the project was a testament to the commitment of the government and partners to create inclusion.
Aya said the fund aims to provide financial support, training, and resources to women entrepreneurs to enable them to grow their businesses.
She also elaborated on the challenges that women encounter in the entrepreneurial sector, including limited access to capital, insufficient training and lack of networking opportunities.
However, she said all these challenges would be addressed by this project through mentorship programs.
According to the minister, women when economically empowered, can invest in their families and communities, leading to broader social and economic benefits.
“We call upon all the government agencies, private sector partners, civil society organizations and the community at large to join hands with us, including the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, in this noble endeavor.”
“Together, we can create a brighter future for our women, and by extension, for the whole nation,” she said.
Meanwhile, Cosmas Ayella, the Deputy Director of the International Rescue Committee highlighted the barriers that female entrepreneurs faced.
He said the successful implementation of the project would lead to the success of many businesses.
Ayella continued that the project represented a very significant milestone in empowering over 1,200 women-owned small, medium, and large-scale businesses in South Sudan.
“We all know that women entrepreneurs are everywhere at the backbone of any economy in South Sudan. We need to support these women to become the backbone of our economy in the country,” he stressed.
He noted that women often face difficulties in accessing loans. “We are committed to breaking these barriers by fostering their resilience and unlocking economic opportunities that transform women-owned businesses and drive broader socioeconomic development in South Sudan.”
The Program Manager for the South Sudan Women Social and Economic Empowerment projects, Lansana Wonneh said the project was a long-awaited initiative to boost productivity of the women in the economic sector.
“If you are to move along the streets in Juba here, majority of the businesses that you see on the roadside are run by women. It is through these women’s contributions that is driving the economy,” he stated.