Jinja City, nestled at the source of the majestic River Nile and hugged by the serene waters of Lake Victoria, is gearing up to host the 2024 PSFU Women’s Day Katale.
With an lineup of 300 exhibitors, officials say this year’s event will allow women-led and women-dominated businesses to showcase their innovation, resilience, and unique offerings.
According to Ronald Kirunda, the head of audit at Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), hundreds of women entrepreneurs have already registered and been cleared to exhibit at the Katale.
He said there are still a few slots available, offering aspiring business owners an opportunity to showcase their ventures on the platform.
Speaking in a recent interview on local television, Kirunda urged the people of Busoga to “seize the moment and actively participate in this event, which is intended to catalyse economic growth at both the community and national levels.”
Aligned with the global celebrations of International Women’s Day, the Katale has emerged as an annual fixture on Uganda’s business calendar.
The event is sponsored by PSFU and the Mastercard Foundation.
Set against the picturesque backdrop of Dam Waters Rugby Grounds, the three-day extravaganza, scheduled from the 15th to the 17th of March, promises a diverse array of exhibits, workshops, and networking opportunities.
From artisanal crafts to cutting-edge technology, attendees have been told to expect to be enthralled by the ingenuity and creativity on display.
Stephen Asiimwe, the CEO of PSFU, underscored the significance of this year’s Katale as a platform for showcasing Busoga’s rich tapestry of culture, tourism, and indigenous products.
Drawing parallels to Jinja’s burgeoning reputation as a tourism hotspot, Asiimwe urged local stakeholders to capitalize on the influx of visitors by offering enticing tourism packages and highlighting the region’s culinary delights.
Echoing his sentiments, Asiimwe hailed Jinja’s culinary prowess, particularly its claim to fame as the birthplace of the iconic Ugandan delicacy, Rolex.
Crediting a Jinja native, and a woman at that, for popularizing this delectable treat, he emphasized the need to showcase the city’s diverse culinary heritage, which extends far beyond the realm of chapatis and rolexes.