Standard Chartered Bank: Boldly unleashing the full potential of youths, women and SMEs in Uganda amidst a global crisis Prior to March 2020, Martha Awor, then aged 28 had big dreams. She had a job, which enabled her to make some small savings at the end of every month. She was optimistic about career growth, and then the Covid-19 pandemic set in. She lost her job in the various reorganisations triggered off by the pandemic.

According to the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), Uganda’s leading think tank on economics and development policy-oriented research and analysis, 425,000 jobs were lost amongst Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Of these, 241,000 jobs were lost between the period before Covid-19 and the end of the first Covid-19 lockdown, and 184,000 jobs were lost between the first lockdown and the second lockdown. Job losses were more prevalent among youth and female workers, and the magnitude of wage cuts was also higher for female and youth employees. A determined Martha, decided to venture out into private…