Women in Kikuube district subscribing to Kisambo Arts and Crafts Women’s Group are making efforts to increase production of arts and crafts items as one of the ways of tapping into the oil sector induced opportunities.
Ms Sophia Nyamusana, the group chairperson, says the group wants to see increased participation of local women in Uganda’s oil sector both directly and indirectly.
The group has 30 members who are looking around for opportunities as little empowered women some of whom were affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.
She adds that the group also serves as a platform to discuss and forge a way forward to combat various challenges faced by rural women including gender based violence and land grabbing which increased with the land value rise due to oil developments.
“We weave mats, baskets and hats hopefully that we shall get more customers as and have all our group members empowered financially as a way of addressing gender based violence and other challenges,” says Ms Nyamusana.
She calls upon the government to consider special funding for women in the oil project-host communities to boost their activities so that they are not left behind.
These women are located on the main route to Kabaleega International Airport on the Kikuube side where people from different areas who may need those handiwork items will be passing.
She was speaking at one of the belated International Women’s Day celebration activities at Sir Winyi Primary School playground in Kikuube town council, Kikuube district.
Environmentalists have been citing environmental degradation as a key challenge to these women who depend on forests for raw materials.
Ms Jane Apolot, who represented TotalEnergies EP Uganda at the function, gave women hope saying the oil company has the social and corporate responsibility of training the youth in different vocational skills that many girls from the oil project host communities have already benefited from and many more will be taken up.
She said the company takes gender equality and community capacity building issues as serious ones.
Princess Daphne Kabatalesa, a Programme Director, Omugo Development Foundation from Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, urged the oil companies to consider increasing the number of sponsorships in vocational skills, observing that there are many children who badly need such skills to get economically empowered.
The function was organised by Global Rights Alert (GRA) and its local partners.
Ms Joy Akoli, a Supervisor at GRA, Hoima urged women to endeavour to report their grievances to their leaders and community monitors for redress.
