EADB sets up Shs49b fund for youth and women-led enterprises

The East African Development Bank (EADB) has launched a $13 million (about Shs49b) fund targeting youth and women-led enterprises, setting the stage for what it calls a new chapter of inclusive growth in the region.

The fund was announced during the bank’s Governing Council meeting in Kampala on Friday and is anchored in EADB’s 2024–2028 Strategic Plan. It’s designed to channel financing through partner institutions to entrepreneurs often considered “too risky” by traditional lenders.

Youth make up over 70% of East Africa’s population, and women drive a significant…