dfcu Rising Woman Awards 2025, a flagship initiative between dfcu Bank and Monitor Publications dedicated to empowering, elevating, and celebrating the extraordinary contributions of women in Uganda’s social and economic landscape.
Now in its seventh year, dfcu Rising Woman initiative continues to be a powerful platform for championing women entrepreneurs, amplifying their stories, and connecting them to knowledge, networks, and opportunities that catalyze growth. This year’s celebration brings together leading women innovators, business owners, ecosystem enablers, policymakers, and development partners for an evening of meaningful dialogue, inspiration, and recognition.
dfcu Bank and Monitor Publications on Friday marked the seventh edition of the Rising Woman Awards, with speakers highlighting rising demand for women-focused financing and training as more than 150 women-owned businesses received support under this year’s cycle.
The bank said it has intensified investment in female entrepreneurs nearly two decades after launching its Women in Business programme, one of Uganda’s earliest gender-directed financial initiatives. “dfcu Bank has been intentional in its commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs,” said Annette Kiconco, the bank’s Chief Retail Banking Officer. “A lot of other banks are trying to copy-paste, but they can’t do it as well as we do.”
Kiconco said the programme, launched in 2007, has supported more than 80,000 women with financial literacy, advisory services and tailored credit. She added that the bank’s Women Business Advisory Centre, “a first of its kind,” now hosts free business clinics, mentorship sessions and coaching.
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“Whether your name is called tonight or not, you are all rising women,” she said.
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Through the Rising Woman initiative, created in 2018 with Monitor Publications, dfcu has reached over 60,000 women through regional trainings, proposal writing support, mentorship and seed capital. A partnership with MTN Uganda, ATC and Innovation Village has placed 118 women-owned firms into the companies’ supply chains.Ugandan Travel Guide
In a separate address, Dr. Anna Nakanwagi-Mukwaya, Managing Director of Mak4, said the initiative emerged at a time when government empowerment programmes were reaching less than 1% of potential beneficiaries.
“Government could only reach under 50,000 women,” she said. “You can imagine the gap just 1%. The Rising Woman Initiative was inaugurated to bridge that huge gap.”
She said more than 5,200 women have benefited from the programme over seven years, crediting the partnership with Monitor for widening visibility and outreach. “Without a partner strong enough to show it to people you would not have seen the success it is having now,” she said. “Government cannot do this alone.”
This year’s edition supported more than 150 women-owned businesses with training in financial literacy, digital skills, credit management, business registration, bookkeeping and other areas, according to Nakanwagi. The awards also recognised the final 20 participants, selected from across the country.
Keynote speaker Barbara Ofwono Buyondo, CEO of Victorious Education Services, urged entrepreneurs to take deliberate steps toward growth and to invest in skilling. “I was once in the place where you are,” she said. “You are the master of your business. How will you guide others when you do not know?”
She encouraged women to borrow responsibly and to rely on networks for support. “Business leaders, it’s lonely up there,” she said. “Join groups you will progress so fast.”
Organisers said the Rising Woman initiative has become a national platform for elevating women in agribusiness, value addition, services and other sectors. Speakers said continued partnerships will be essential as Uganda pursues economic transformation under the government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
