{"id":1359,"date":"2025-08-04T01:43:55","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T22:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/?p=1359"},"modified":"2025-08-04T01:43:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T22:43:58","slug":"11-businesses-receive-grants-to-accelerate-their-growth-at-the-empower-you-pitch-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/11-businesses-receive-grants-to-accelerate-their-growth-at-the-empower-you-pitch-event\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Businesses Receive Grants to Accelerate Their Growth at the Empower YOU Pitch Event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The energy was high, the ideas were bold, and the ambition was unmistakable as 15 determined entrepreneurs took the stage at the <strong><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/empoweryou\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Empower YOU<\/strong><\/a><strong> Pitch Event<\/strong> in Lira city. Hosted under the <a href=\"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/empoweryou\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Empower YOU<\/a> program, this milestone event celebrated not just innovative pitches, but the growth, confidence, and community spirit of youth-led micro and small businesses in Uganda\u2019s northern region.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Elevating Entrepreneurs in Lira and Gulu<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Held on July 25, 2025, this pitch event provided a platform for participants from Lira and Gulu to present their businesses to a panel of judges after months of intensive training and mentorship. From eco-friendly fashion to innovative agro-processing and community-driven services, each pitch reflected the unique challenges these entrepreneurs aim to solve, and the impact they\u2019re already making in their communities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1120\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2126-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1363\" srcset=\"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2126-1.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2126-1-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2126-1-800x571.jpg 800w, https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2126-1-1160x828.jpg 1160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1120px) 100vw, 1120px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Conor Walsh, Country Director of Uganda and South Sudan at Caritas Switzerland, giving an opening remark. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Their journeys through the Empower YOU program have been defined by learning, adapting, and growing. With access to hands-on training, expert-led workshops, and personalised coaching, these entrepreneurs refined their business models, honed their pitches, and grew their confidence to speak boldly about their visions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A Consortium Driving Youth Empowerment<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/empoweryou\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Empower YOU<\/a> program is implemented by a dynamic consortium led by Caritas<strong> <\/strong>Switzerland (CACH) and includes StartHub Africa and Gulu Women\u2019s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-G). Together, the consortium aims to empower youth by:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enhancing sustainable income generation and life skills\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Promoting youth participation in policy, decision-making, and development processes at both national and local levels to foster greater social and economic inclusion\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This multi-faceted approach ensures that young people are not only equipped to start businesses but are also empowered to lead within their communities and influence broader systems of change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recognizing Excellence: 11 Businesses Awarded Grants<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Out of the 15 inspiring entrepreneurs who pitched, <strong>11 were selected to receive grants<\/strong> to help them scale their businesses. These grants symbolise more than financial support; they\u2019re a powerful endorsement of the potential and resilience of local ideas.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the recipients, <strong>Aber Carolyne<\/strong>, founder of <strong>Luo Chalk<\/strong>, produces high-quality chalk using locally sourced materials in Gulu. Reflecting on her journey through the program, she shared:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThis program has not only expanded our knowledge but has reshaped the way we run our business, driving real, measurable growth. We\u2019ve seen significant changes in how we operate, make decisions, and position ourselves for sustainability and impact.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her experience highlights the transformative impact Empower YOU has on equipping entrepreneurs for real-world success, beyond just funding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1120\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2883-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2883-1.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2883-1-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2883-1-800x571.jpg 800w, https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DSC2883-1-1160x828.jpg 1160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1120px) 100vw, 1120px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">                                            Luo Chalk Team pitching their business<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, Empower YOU doesn\u2019t stop at funding. Each participant, whether awarded a grant or not, will continue to receive follow-up mentorship and support. This approach ensures that every entrepreneur is equipped not only to sustain their ventures but to thrive and scale with resilience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A Program That Goes Beyond Pitching<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The strength of the Empower YOU program lies in its holistic support for youth-led businesses. It emphasises practical skills such as customer engagement, financial literacy, strategic thinking, and market access, preparing entrepreneurs for long-term success.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each pitch day is a celebration of the work already accomplished, but it\u2019s also a launchpad for what\u2019s ahead. These entrepreneurs aren\u2019t just building businesses, they\u2019re creating jobs, stimulating local economies, and transforming lives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The energy was high, the ideas were bold, and the ambition was&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1361,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,18,108,19,70],"tags":[116,71,26,45,50],"class_list":{"0":"post-1359","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entrepreneurship","8":"category-features","9":"category-innovation","10":"category-insights","11":"category-pitching","12":"tag-empower-you","13":"tag-pitching","14":"tag-starthub","15":"tag-starthub-africa","16":"tag-uganda"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1359"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1366,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1359\/revisions\/1366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starthubafrica.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}