Breaking Barriers and Empowering Marginal Women Micro-Entrepreneurs in Kampala Central Division, Uganda for Sustainable Economic Growth: A Narrative Inquiry

Purpose: This study examined urban barriers that hinder women’s micro enterprises both in starting and growing businesses in Kampala Central Division for empowerment and to examine suggestions to address the urban barriers that hinder women’s access and usage of the urban spaces for micro enterprises. Methodology: The study utilized Lefebvre’s spatial Triad model of space theory and the Empowerment theory. The study employed a parallel mixed design that allowed the use of the survey and case study designs with several research methods that included questionnaire, observation, key informant interviews, literature review discussions, and cases. Key information was collected from five Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials and five local council leaders, who were purposively selected and 140 women entrepreneurs that participated in a survey through purposive and snowball sampling. Findings: The study discovered, flaws and challenges that limited women from accessing the urban space to sell their items, which affected the empowerment process. The women cited limited start-up capital, high operational dues, stiff competition from other traders, difficulty in accessing the patriarchal urban space and increase in women’s workload which reduced productivity, among other challenges. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This study provides an understanding on how poor women navigate urban barriers for micro entrepreneurship in a bid to get empowered. Urban enterprise has been promoted as an important poverty alleviation tool especially amongst women who constitute the majority of the poor. The findings will be used by policy makers to design better strategies of reaching out to the poor most especially women who constitute the majority.