Alice Maria Eyoku

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

Theo Konings, our visiting expert in sales and value chain management from @PUM_nl, started off his work with an enterprise visit at Romi Trading Co. Ltd in Mbale city.

The micro enterprise, owned by Robinah Nakahyenze, has a coffee nursery, deals in parchment coffee, and processes ground coffee.

During their interaction, Konings was impressed by Nakahyenze's skill in preparing nurseries and quality parchment beans. After sharing some technical advise, he encouraged her to acquaint herself with international standards in coffee value chain managemet to improve quality.

Nakahyenze told Konings despite her knowledge in drying 'naturals' (an alternative to washed coffee) which is more preferred in some markets, she had failed to get relaible customers.

In response, the experts advised: "Do more market research and look beyond Mbale. There is demand for naturals and it will surely give you good money."

Konings continues to engage with women-led enterprises in the coffee value chain in eastern Uganda. This is under the @WEADS_project, supported by @NLinUganda.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

We have this afternoon welcomed Theo Konings, @PUM_nl expert in sales and value chain management, who will spend the coming week engaging our member women entrepreneurs in the coffee value chain.

☕️Konings brings a wide range of experience working with small-holder coffee farmers and businesses around the world. He will work closely with women-led Agri-SMEs in Elgon region, sharing insights on how to grow their fortunes and access more lucrative export markets in Europe.

In a meeting with our staff led by executive director @JohnWalugembe, Konings noted that Uganda's competitive advantage in the international coffee market will be specialty coffees fostered by women. He, thus, called continuous support towards women entrepreneurs to enable them have consistent quality products.

📌Welcoming Konings, Walugembe said after organising the women in cooperatives, the federation is also prioritizing sustainable ways of business growth including linking them to potential markets through trade missions.

This visit is part of our partnership @PUM_nl under the @WEADS_project, which aims to accelerate the growth and impact of women-led SMEs in different Agricultural value-chains such as coffee, potatoes, diary, poultry, and fruits & vegetables. It is supported by @NLinUganda.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

Participants in today's Digital Economy Dialogue in Jinja City, are sharing experiences, showcasing how digital allows them to work beyond the constraints of geography.

The assistant resident city commissioner George Musisi has encouraged business people to follow government in digital adoption, which is enshrined in Uganda's digital economy road map.

#DigitalUganda @UCC_Official @ConsumerUCC @UCC_ED #DigitaTransformation #Business

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

We have joined key Business Development Service (BDS) stakeholders from different sectors of the Ugandan economy to discuss and validate the National BDS Framework 2026-2030.

This is happening at @EntUganda headquarters in Butabika, Kampala, where different players are dissecting the capacity of ecosystem in promoting growth of private sector in Uganda.

🏹As the country aims to achieve a Tenfold growth, micro, small and medium (MSMEs) must operate efficiently, make profits and grow. This will rely heavily on the effectiveness of the BDS they receive.

Participants in the working meeting are talking about streamlining the ecosystem, from aligning data on BDS stakeholders to devising strategies which support individual business interests as well as national economic interests.

📌BDS should enable enterprises to tap into the national, regional and international opportunities, including EAC Common market, AfCTA and favorable global export markets.

[Alice Maria Eyoku @AliceEyoku]

@fsme_uganda @UCC_Official @JoMutebe @ConsumerUCC @JohnWalugembe @richardtumwesi9 @GateteClaire This was a great opportunity to see how the call centers operate.

[Alice Maria Eyoku @AliceEyoku]

On Monday, we had good interaction with the call centers of MTN, Airtel, Lyca, and UTeL.

The major aim here was to try and solve consumer needs so that they are served better.

In here, we focused on data security, fraud, customer privacy, and quality control.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

We joined @UCC_Official on inspection visits to call centers of different telecom operators yesterday.

Our programs manager @JoMutebe and monitoring & evaluation officer @AliceEyoku were among leaders of consumer advocacy groups who interacted with professionals and modern systems at Kampala-based call centers for major operators, i.e. @mtnug, @Airtel_Ug, @LycaUganda and @Utcl_ug.

📱These telecom operators demonstrated key innovations, upgraded infrastructure and processes, which they said have improved services to customers who call in for support.

Advocacy groups like us - @fsme_uganda - were keen on consumer concerns such as data protection, prevention of fraud, and general service quality. We recommended that customer care services should be consistent across urban and rural areas of Uganda.

These visits were a direct outcome of resolutions from the inaugural Telecom-Consumer CEO Forum (TCCF) held in March 2025.

@fsme_uganda remains committed to advocating for the rights of small and medium enterprises and everyday consumers in Uganda's telecom space.

📸Photo credit: @UCC_Official.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

WATCH 📹

An interaction between @PUM_nl expert in poultry management, Françoise de Goeijen and Anita Sylvia Kobusingye of Bamwine Investments Ltd, producers of ‘Win Chicken Halal’ at their slaughter house in Mukono this afternoon, was a beakon of hope for the latter.

This comes after an exciting workshop on modern poultry management for women under the WEADs Project yesterday in Nansana, Wakiso district.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

We are hosting @PUM_nl expert in poultry management, Francoise de Goeijen who is in Uganda to support women-led SMEs in poultry value-chain, with modern practices to realise better yields.

She has today visited Lillian Kyazze at Daliz Chicken Hub and Joy Mary Lwanga of Shalom Organic Farm at their enterprise premises where they explored opportunities of growth, discussed access to better in-puts and market.

Over the next weeks, Francoise will mentor 20 women in poultry, who are under the @WEADS_project.

The project aims to accelerate the growth and impact of 100 women-led Agri-SMEs in different value chains including poultry, coffee, fruits & vegetables, diary and potatoes.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

@PUM_nl expert Francoise visited Bethsheba Nankunda at Faith K Mixed Farm in Masaka.

Francoise said: "I am impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit of these women. They are willing to learn and innovate. Some of them are receptive to change and ready to adopt methods with promise better quality and yields."

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

Are you feeding your birds the right nutrient composition, fit for proper growth and desirable results?

This is one of the prominent questions in discussions between @PUM_nl expert Francoise de Goeijen and women entrepreneurs she is mentoring during her two-week stay in Uganda.

From conversations, some doing it right, considering the supply chains of feeds. Others have made mistakes that cost their enterprises much money, when the birds suffered malnutrition or over-feeding.

A key theme in all the engagements is the readiness to learn the best practices.

Francoise has shared with these women technology-enabled methods which are delivering better productivity and profitability for poultry agri-smes across the world.

She has exposed them to paths towards a nexus of their indigenous knowledge and modern, scientific ways of poultry management.

@WEADS_project aims to accelerate the growth and impact of 100 women-led Agri-SMEs in different value chains including poultry, coffee, fruits & vegetables, diary and potatoes.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

Health vs Money?

Women entrepreneurs in poultry value chain have today tackled the balancing act of creating quality, health products in the quest for money.

At a workshop facilitated by @PUM_nl expert Francoise de Goeijen in Nansana, Wakiso district, participants discussed the use of antibiotics in poultry feeds, highlighting risks on the health of consumers.

🐤Rears of broilers (chicken for meat) were on the spotlight on this issue. As many seek to make money, they apply drugs in feeds to prompt faster growth and more meat.

Fortunately, participants agreed in unison about the need for ethical business practices, noting that; "I can only rear and sell to customers products which I am comfortable to feed myself and children."

📌This sparked the conversation on standards and how they are influencing markets locally and globally.

Francoise continues to interact with women enterprises, training them modern practices for better quality yields.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

WATCH 📺

@PUM_nl expert in poultry management, Françoise de Goeijen, has this evening reached one of the major customer touch points for poultry products.

She is in Jinja City, where she will meet youth in the poultry value chain.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

After a stimulating capacity building workshop, our Business Development Service (BDS) field teams are eager to support small & medium enterprises (SMEs) across Uganda to operate more efficiently and compete in today’s dynamic business environment.

#WeWorkUG @EnabelinUganda🧵1/6

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

The MSME Digital Literacy Campaign by @fsme_uganda & @UCC_Official officially launched in Buvuma district!
Over 250 entrepreneurs are gaining the skills to scale their businesses via e-commerce.

🧵1/3

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

District leaders, including the DISO and Commercial Officer, have pledged full support for this 10-day digital transition.
https://t.co/VkpRmNnMvY

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

Deputy RDC Moses Buule Kizito kicked off the event, noting that "the trend of business is e-commerce." He urged SMEs to embrace technology to solve traditional hurdles like high rent and to expand their market reach.

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[Patrick Oyulu, MPH @patrickoyulu]

SMACK: A Legacy Expands

St. Mary’s College Kisubi -where excellence isn’t just expected; it’s tradition. For generations, it has quietly, confidently nurtured Uganda’s brightest minds. Now, the legacy grows.

Yesterday marked a historic moment as @SMACK_UG Kabojja Campus was officially opened, adding a new chapter to the story of the greatest school.

From Kisubi’s iconic grounds to Kabojja’s promising horizons, SMACK continues its mission: shaping leaders, dreamers, and doers.

Kudos to the Brothers of Christian Instruction -steadfast in their calling, tireless in their pursuit of knowledge, character, and service.

As the anthem boldly reminds us: "Mighty Undertaking Here, Up and On…", #SMACK continues in its quest 'arming for the fight.'

And so, onward we go. @smackists @SmackObs @HMV_SMACK

#DucInAltum

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

This morning @fsme_uganda staff are undergoing a monthly learning session in which teams on different projects are sharing lessons from working with MSMEs across the country.

📍Operating in a dynamic ecosystem, small businesses in Uganda have diverse challenges, therefore requiring both tested methods and innovativeness to support their growth aspirations.

As we embark on full rollout of our Work Plan this year, we reflect on what works and what can be done in our efforts to make MSMEs more more profitable and competitive.

⚡️We commit to continue enabling small-scale entrepreneurs start, manage and grow their enterprises.

[Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises @fsme_uganda]

Our member women-led enterprises who are under the WEADS Project are currently undergoing mentorship, with sessions in which business development experts are enabling them overcome different challenges to growth and expansion.

🔎Proprietors of SMEs in value-addition, have highlighted constraints ranging from complex regulatory processes, limited digital access, to inadequate market opportunities.

☀️The mentors are, consequently, offering practical solutions such as leveraging the federation's large business network to link the enterprises to potential customers and viable suppliers of raw materials.

The mentorship is part of activities to not only ascertain the project's impact to the beneficiaries, but also see areas they need further support to grow and compete favourably.

📍In its fourth year of implementation, the project has introduced opportunities to the 100 participating enterprises in value chains such as coffee, fruits & vegetables, dairy, poultry, and Irish potatoes.

Covering areas in central, eastern, western and southwestern Uganda, WEADS Project is implemented in partnership with @NLinUganda.