Unleashing women entrepreneurial potential in Uganda: challenges facing women entrepreneurs in their quest for business in Maziba sub-county, Kabale Municipality, Kabale District

Abstract

Worldwide, the contribution of women to the process of development is accepted. An entrepreneur is a person who has confidence, strong vision, willing to take risks, generating new ideas and innovations. Women conduct business and contribute to the nation’s growth as much as their male counterparts. Women own and run businesses in numbers that would have been hard to imagine a few decades ago. However, women entrepreneurs face challenges in business; they are more disadvantaged than men. Existing research focuses on other areas than the main challenges facing female entrepreneurs in Maziba Sub-county, Kabale District; this needed an assessment. The objective of this study was to investigate challenges women entrepreneurs face in their quest for business. The study was guided by the Gender Theory.  The study used a case study research design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Using random sampling, a total of 180 respondents were selected for the study. Primary data was collected using survey questionnaire, in-depth interviews, focus groups, with randomly selected women entrepreneurs, and secondary data was obtained from reports. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis using SPSS Version 26.