The Hilton Foundation-funded Sisters’ Blended Value Project commenced Module 4 of the Social Enterprise Programme – Start-Up in Kampala, Uganda this week with returning participants eager to complete the Programme and begin working towards actualizing their action learning projects.
The Modular Programme which has been running since late April 2022 will come to a close in November 2022 once participants from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia successfully complete sessions with their coaches and submit their action learning projects for review and consideration for seed funding.
The Start-up Programme was designed for participants who were yet to establish their social enterprises, or had already established an enterprise but were unable to manage it effectively, thus were not generating any revenue for their congregations. Catholic Sisters serve their communities selflessly and often run into operational challenges while doing so, with the main challenge being financial, forcing the sisters to adopt a charity model. Participants enrolled in the start-up Programme sought to gain industry-specific skills that would enable them to properly establish and operate their social enterprises.
The Programme has inspired participants to embark on projects in agriculture, hospitality, healthcare, education, etc., that will empower them to create change and opportunities within their communities. Upon completion of the Programme, participants are eligible to receive seed grant funding to go towards growing their social enterprises – a financial inclusion solution is one of the four pillars of the project geared towards creating greater opportunities for Catholic Sisters, which will then trickle down to the communities they serve. Many of these sisters have grand visions for their enterprises and have been engaging with SBS coaches and faculty to make them a reality.
The Programme is structured around in-person learning, coaching and mentoring sessions, case study analysis, and immersive company visits to give participants a practical assessment of the viability of their enterprises.
Module 4 of the Start-up Programme will commence in Kenya on 25th October 2022, in Tanzania on 1st November 2022, and will come to a close in Zambia on 11th November 2022, marking a major milestone for the project.
Article by Katherine Keango
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