Quick information guide

To choose a good mentor:

  • Identify areas that need strengthening: what skills do you need to learn immediately?
  • Assess your mentor: are you likely to clash with him/her? Do you have the same values? Is he/her a good listener?
  • Accept challenges: are you encouraged to learn/try something new?
  • Get ready to return the favour: what can your mentor learn from you? 

For mentorship to succeed, both mentor and mentee should mind:

  •  Timing
  • Clarifying expectations
  • Logistics (management)
  • Respecting their energy
  • Accepting feedback 
  • Personalising mentorship

Types of mentorship and benefits

1. Outside the company
 This is an informal linkage with suitable experts, these mentors are generally neutral and objective. The mentee gets a chance of being connected to:

Benefits

  • wider knowledge and experiences
  •  business owners (especially for senior business managers)
  • wider network and contacts

2. Within the company

This is a formal, structured employee learning through linkage with senior experienced people in a given Organisation/Company. This type is generally used as a way of  nurturing an internal pool of good employees and leaders for succession.

Benefits

This type of mentorship helps to:

  • Build strong organisational culture and employee morale
  •  Plan for succession easily
  • grow the company in a focused and measurable way

Mentorship in Uganda

"The key to success is your commitment, both to your business and to your mentoring relationship" - Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)

Mentorship is very important for your professional growth - especially when running your own business. A more experienced person (mentor) with strong networks understands your struggles and is able to provide guidance as you (mentee) grow your business. 

This is an invaluable support and learning tool but for the mentor/mentee relationship to work, both parties have to receive positive benefits from it.

In Uganda, organisations that support women in business usually provide mentoring services. 
 

 4 steps to creating a structured company mentoring programme

  • Define programme objectives (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed - SMART)
  • Create structure to deliver
  • Train participants on mentorship and launch
  • Continuously assess and improve

Tips for a successful mentorship

  1. Timing
    Mentors: Find a mentee - it's never too late
    Mentees: express your need clearly
  2. Clarify expectations
    Mentors: Why?
    Mentees: What do you want out of this?
  3. Manage logistics
    Mentors: How and where and regularity of meetings
    Mentees: Be proactive with scheduling
  4. Respect their energy
    Mentors: Invest in your mentee's success
    Mentees: Your mentor's time is valuable - treat it that way
  5. Embrace feedback
    Mentors: Give open, honest input - even when it's hard
    Mentees: View feedback as a gift
  6. Personalise mentorship
    Mentors: invest yourselves in the success of your mentee
    Mentees: Build trust with your mentor
angle-left National Women’s Council

National Women’s Council

About the National

Women's Council (NWC)

The National Women’s Council (NWC) is an autonomous body, established by the National Women’s Council ACT 1993 (cap 318). Its objective is to bring all women of Uganda together for social, political and Economic development purposes, irrespective of their religion, tribe, origin, status or political affiliation.

The National Women’s Council is a six-tier structure of elected leaders beginning at the village, parish, Sub County, District up to the National Level with National Women’s Council Secretariate that runs the day to day activities of the Council.
Areas covered by Mentorship

The Secretariate organises mentorship trainings in different parts of the country which target women groups and women council leaders.

The participants receive maximum opportunity for learning through a participatory learning process that included structured presentations, questions and answers and experience sharing

Peer to peer mentoring of UWEP Beneficiary groups is also carried out - women groups learn from each other.

Those with successful enterprises mentor their colleagues in business management practices, group dynamics, and record keeping among others.

These are guided by the technical staff both at the districts and National level
What is the enrollment procedure and what is required from mentees?
  • Mentee should be part of a women's group registered at the local women's chairperson's office.
  • The group requests for mentorship by informing their local Women's Chairperson of the income generating ventures undertaken and the challenges they face.
  • The Chairperson requests the Secretariate for mentorship support which is then arranged. 

Mentorship sessions are carried out countrywide every quarter.
What is the enrollment procedure and what is required from mentors?

Apply directly to the Secretariate with your profile stating what your expertise is. If successful, you will be added to their list of mentors.

Mentors are selected as experts in different fields as required for the mentorship sessions.

 
What are the organisation’s links to e-Learning resources?

-
What additional services beneficial to women entrepreneurs are provided?
  • Financial Grants
  • Markets through exhibitions
  • Equipments like hoes
What kind of events organised by the institution/organisation?
  1. The annual International Women’s Day celebrations As part of the National Organising Committee for the annual International Women's Day Celebrations, activities include;
  • The Women’s Week - preceding Women's Day, series of activities organised at the location hosting the National Women's Day celebrations. The NWC exhibition stall hosts 60 women entrepreneurs, 40 of whom are from the host area.
  • The annual International Women’s Day celebrations - President also visits NWC stall 
  1. Health camps
Contact details

National Women’s Council

Plot 27 Mukuru curve, Ntinda
P.O Box 7136, Kampala
Tel: +256 772 957 584 (Executive Director, Mr. Collins Mwijuka)
Email: nwc@mglsd.go.ug
Web: http://www.mglsd.go.ug/content/national-women-council.html
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