Officials of the Beach Management Unit (BMU) in Masaka assembling the illegal fishing gear impounded from the landing sites in Kyanamukaka Sub-county in Masaka District on October 29,2009.
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Sixty businessmen from 46 Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) graduated from the COVID-19 pandemic-response Online Business Survival & Continuity Training and Coaching Programme.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the businesses at Mestil Hotel in Kampala recently, Donald Agaba, the ACLAIM Africa Managing Director said that the skills the entrepreneurs obtained would go along way towards nurturing oftheir businesses as they embark on the journey to economic recovery.
He said their success as trainers was derived from seeing local businesses transformed as they apply the acquired knowledge.
“Most local companies are struggling following the two lockdowns. This programme was designed to equip SMEs with the necessary knowledge, skills, tools and support to strategically manage the risks and economic downturns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and position their businesses to thrive in a post-Covid-19 environment,” he said.
Mumba Kalifungwa, Absa Bank Uganda’s Managing Director said that the Covid pandemic adversely affected the economy and more so SMEs, some of which were unable to withstand the shock,” he said, adding that SMEs, especially those in the tourism and hospitality sector were the most affected by the lockdowns.
He promised the participating SMEs quick credit facilities as well as low interest rates on loans they would obtain from Absa.
The training was organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaftfuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the Employment and Skills for Development in Africa (E4D)Programme and was held between September 2020 to August 2021.
