Deadline: 15-May-2026
The POWER Programme Cohort V, implemented by Action 4 Health Uganda and DSW, supports young women in Uganda to develop health-focused innovations into sustainable businesses. It offers training, mentorship, incubation, and access to seed funding for startups in sexual and reproductive health, family planning, and digital health solutions.
Overview of the Programme
The POWER Programme (Providing Opportunities for Women in Entrepreneurship and Reproductive Health) is a youth-focused innovation and entrepreneurship initiative. It is designed to empower young women in Uganda to build scalable solutions in health and social sectors.
The programme bridges gaps between health innovation, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion by supporting early-stage ideas and startups.
Key Objectives
The programme aims to strengthen women-led innovation and entrepreneurship in health-related sectors.
Key objectives include:
- Supporting women-led health innovations and startups
- Promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
- Encouraging women entrepreneurship and social innovation
- Strengthening youth economic empowerment
- Advancing digital health and ICT-based solutions
- Supporting business incubation and enterprise development
- Enhancing investment readiness and financial access
- Promoting gender equality and employment creation
- Improving community-based health solutions
Programme Structure and Activities
Selected participants go through a structured capacity-building and incubation process.
Programme components include:
- Physical entrepreneurship boot camps
- Virtual learning and training sessions
- Business coaching and mentorship
- Networking with industry experts and investors
- Investment readiness training
- Market linkage support
- Participation in innovation ecosystem activities
Funding and Support Offered
The programme provides both financial and non-financial support for selected innovators.
Support includes:
- Seed capital opportunities for selected ventures
- Access to Multi-Sectoral Investment Fund
- Technical assistance for business development
- Continuous mentorship from certified business coaches
- Support from POWER Alumni Network
- Market access and partnership opportunities
Focus Areas
The programme supports innovations in health and related sectors.
Key focus areas include:
- Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
- Family planning solutions
- Women’s health innovation
- Digital health technologies
- ICT-based health services
- Community health solutions
- Social entrepreneurship models
- Youth-led innovation initiatives
Eligibility Criteria
The programme targets young women innovators and entrepreneurs in Uganda.
Eligible applicants must:
- Be young women entrepreneurs or social innovators
- Have early-stage ideas or startups
- Operate in health, SRHR, family planning, or ICT sectors
- Demonstrate innovative or scalable solutions
- Have access to digital devices (smartphone or laptop)
- Be able to participate in both physical and virtual programme activities
Expected Outcomes
The programme is designed to generate long-term impact in health innovation and entrepreneurship.
Expected outcomes include:
- Increased number of women-led health startups
- Improved access to SRHR solutions in communities
- Strengthened digital health innovation ecosystem
- Enhanced youth employment and entrepreneurship
- Greater investment readiness among women entrepreneurs
- Scalable social enterprises addressing health challenges
Importance of the Programme
This initiative plays a key role in empowering young women by:
- Supporting gender-inclusive entrepreneurship
- Strengthening reproductive health innovation
- Promoting economic empowerment for women
- Expanding access to digital and health technologies
- Encouraging sustainable, community-driven solutions
- Building a strong ecosystem for women innovators
Conclusion
The POWER Programme Cohort V is a targeted innovation and entrepreneurship initiative that empowers young women in Uganda to transform health-related ideas into impactful businesses. Through training, mentorship, and access to funding, it strengthens women-led solutions in sexual and reproductive health, digital innovation, and social entrepreneurship.
For more information, visit A4HU.