Issues in women learning to be entrepreneurs in Uganda: the case of the women at Buganda road craft Africa village,Kampala.

Abstract

The study investigated the process of women learning to become entrepreneurs and specifically focused on the experiences of the self-employed women working at the Buganda Road Craft Africa Village in Kampala, the capital City of Uganda. Immersed in a qualitative approach and using a case study design, the study sought to: (i) examine factors that drive women at Buganda Road village crafts in Kampala to join entrepreneurship ventures; (ii) establish strategies they adopt to learn to become entrepreneurs; (iii) analyze the nature of empowerment the women gain through starting up businesses; and document some of challenges the women experience in their course of learning to become entrepreneurs. Qualitative data from 40 purposively sampled women analyzed thematically revealed that whereas there are many factors drove to join business, the most important ones were unemployment and the desire to increase their personal income. Women learned to become entrepreneurs using various strategies but the majority referred to their experience and networking with others through different activities that helped them to incidentally learn some of the skills and abilities of being an entrepreneur. The study further revealed that the ability to work independently and the discovery of some latent talents made women feel empowered. The challenges women face are numerous including high taxes, seasonality of crafts business and stiff competition from people who use modern technology to duplicate local crafts and come back to sell them expensively. Amongst others, the study recommended that women liaise with relevant government authorities and Civil Society Organizations that can help them access integrated literacy and numeracy programmes to enhance their business management skills and also pursue learning as a lifelong process. Lastly efforts should be made to advocate for women to enjoy equal rights with men in the business sector and government should intervene on issues related to high taxes and rents that affect women’s businesses negatively.