Stanbic Business Incubator Limited (SBIL) celebrates Survive to Thrive programme graduates and prepares for another cohort

On 13 April 2021, the SBIL celebrated the completion of its Survive to Thrive training programme by 21 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from among Stanbic Bank Uganda’s (SBU) clients. The event was held in Kampala and consisted of a face–to–face training session, an overview session on financial products available to SMEs led by SBU staff, peer networking, and a cake-cutting ceremony for all participants to enjoy.   

The training programme, developed and delivered as part of an existing partnership between  SBU, the Africa Management Institute (AMI), and ConsumerCentriX, is a six-month programme focused on equipping business owners with the skills they need to navigate the challenges and opportunities brought about by COVID-19.  

This cohort of the Survive to Thrive programme was launched in September 2020.  Enterprises participating came from various sectors of the economy, including Agriculture, Information Technology (IT), Tourism, Hospitality, and Trade. Participants engaged in monthly virtual group training sessions focused on practical skills led by AMI facilitators and received access to online tools to put those skills into practice. Training sessions focused on topics such as business growth and leadership skills and helped prepare businesses to access financing, which is critical to their business survival and growth. Businesses also had the opportunity to network with their peers both virtually and during the final session of the programme, which was conducted in-person following COVID-19 safety protocols.  

Participants who attended the final session were delighted to have the chance to meet others in their cohort in person and shared their feedback on the programme, including how they were able to put their new knowledge into practice.  

Participating SMEs acknowledged that the training programme helped them overcome challenges brought about by the pandemic, including Ms. Ronah Kuteesa of Praise Supermarket, who highlighted that the skills that she gained in strategic thinking have helped her adapt her business exposure to new ideas and enabled her to better motivate company staff during these tough times.  

The training also helped other businesses in expanding their customer segments. For example, Mr. Okello David of Kiro of Great Africa Tours explained that through the training, he gained knowledge on marketing strategies and  how to conduct customer segmentation. As a result, he was able to diversify his company’s product offering by including domestic tours offered to a niche segment in North Uganda to complement his existing international travel services.     

Mr. MacWilliams Edward Mponye of Softech Integrated Africa Ltd, an ICT automation company, shared that he particularly appreciated the online tools on planning, finance, and management made available through the programme, which have helped him scale his business operations and enhance strategic planning for the company.  

To mark the successful conclusion of the programme, SBIL plans to host a virtual graduation on 11 May, after which participants will become part of the AMI Growth Network, where they can connect with other entrepreneurs.  

The Survive to Thrive training programme will be available again later this year and open to Stanbic Bank’s SME clients. Those seeking to grow their businesses and thrive during these challenging  times should contact SBIL at incubator@stanbic.com or Stanbic Bank’s Entreprise Direct at  enterprisedirectug@stanbic.com  for more information. Stay tuned to learn more about the programme application dates and requirements!