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Benedicta Nanyonga

Entrepreneurs in Handcrafts Africa Economic Empowerment

Benedicta is the executive director of Kinawataka Women Initiatives and is an alumna of Vital Voices’ 2009 Level One Training in Kenya. Founded in 1998, Kinawataka mobilizes underprivileged members of the community to produce a variety of products, utilizing locally available recycled straws as their primary input. The organization has received several honors, including the UN Habitat “Twenty-six Good Practices” of 2009 award and was the winner of the 2007 A. Lubogo Award for Community Involvement by the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association. Kinawataka also had the opportunity to create a handbag for the first lady of Uganda, Madam J. Museveni in 2010.

Benedicta is currently a member of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association, the Uganda Export Promotion Board and Investment Authority, the Techno-Serve “Women Mean Business” Program, Oxfam Great Britain in Uganda, and UN Habitat. Her vast network of international contacts allows Benedicta to be an effective mentor, drawing upon her business expertise and network to train and provide resources to the Lukuli Women’s Group, a rural women’s health facility in straw item production.