Jumpstarting Economic Recovery Through The Unconditional Cash Transfer Facility

The Informal Women Cross-border Traders project was set up as a response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of women cross-border traders. Its purpose is to help the women bounce back from economic shock and build resilience for the future. The project is an initiative of Financial Sector Deepening Uganda in collaboration with Trademark East Africa, with support from 100WEEKS. This project provided unconditional cash transfers and business skilling training to support the recovery of women cross-border traders.

Nearly 600 women participated in the Informal Women Cross-border Trade project. Each woman received a total of 571,658 Uganda shillings, an equivalent of 153 US dollars. The women interviewed invested the money they received in various kinds of initiatives, including trading/retailing, farming, food vending, paying school fees, and medical bills. The training they received helped them to better utilise the funds received.

This project demonstrates the power of unconditional cash transfers in helping informal women cross-border traders recover from economic shocks and build resilience for the future. A small investment makes a big difference in the lives of these women and their families.