| GROW PROJECT Shifting Social Norms for Women Entrepreneurs Kabarole, Fort Portal City, Kyegegwa and Kyenjojo, Tooro Sub-Region, Western Uganda July 2026 – January 2027 | KAWODA, contracted by CARE International in Uganda under the Government of Uganda / World Bank GROW Project |
ABOUT THE PROJECT
About GROW Project
| The Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project is a government of Uganda project funded by World Bank, implemented by the Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development and Private Sector Foundation in Uganda, in all districts, municipalities and cities. It aims at increasing to access to entrepreneurial services that enable female entrepreneurs to grow their enterprise from micro to small to medium in targeted locations; including the refugee host districts. Under the national GROW Project (Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises), KAWODA has been contracted by CARE International in Uganda to lead a focused, six-month initiative addressing exactly this: shifting the norms, attitudes, and practices that limit women entrepreneurs across Kabarole, Fort Portal City, Kyegegwa, and Kyenjojo — including the Kyaka II refugee settlement. | Six-month initiative July 2026 – January 2027 ● Kabarole ● Fort Portal City ● Kyegegwa ● Kyenjojo ● Kyaka II refugee settlement |
OUR WORK
What We’re Doing
| 1 Strengthening Women Entrepreneurship Platforms (WEPs) Supporting WEPs to implement gender norm-shifting activities with women entrepreneurs and their communitiesFacilitating WEP leaders and women activists to reach community members through structured dialogues with key stakeholdersRunning reflection and learning sessions with WEPs on progress in shifting harmful gender norms | 2 Engaging Men as Partners for Change Supporting trained Role Model Men (RMM) to roll out Engaging Men and Boys (EMB) methodologies to men in the community — especially the partners and male relatives of women entrepreneursEstablishing and activating Male Action Groups (MAGs) in each target district and city, reaching 20–25 men per group | |
| 3 Strengthening Protection and Referral Systems Facilitating district Local Governments to hold GBV coordination meetings, mapping GBV actors and strengthening referral pathwaysDisseminating CARE and GROW’s Feedback and Complaints Response Mechanism (FCRM) and safeguarding channels in communities and marketplacesDeveloping and institutionalizing a feedback and complaint mechanism in consultation with communities, including indigenous communities | 4 Documenting What Works Documenting stories of social norms change and shifts in attitudes and practicesCapturing lessons and challenges to help shape a broader framework for positive social norms change across women’s enterprises |
| OUR AUDIENCE Who We’re Reaching | ||||
| Women entrepreneurs participating in WEPs | Role Model Men, and the spouses, partners, and male relatives of women entrepreneurs | Persons with disabilities, minority communities, and refugee communities | ||
| Community, cultural, traditional, and religious leaders, teachers, and employers | District structures including Labour, Community Development, Probation and Social Welfare offices, and the Police Child and Family Protection Unit | GBV service providers and, where available, shelters and host homes | ||
| KAWODA Kyenjojo Association of Women Development Actors Contracted by CARE International in Uganda under the Government of Uganda / World Bank GROW Project |