Tereza Mbire (also known as Mama Mbire; born 25 December 1934) is a Ugandan entrepreneur, presidential advisor and advocate.[1] She is a co-founder of the Uganda Women's Finance and Credit Trust and founder of the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs' Association Ltd.[1][2][3][4][5]

Biography

Mbire started her studies at Butare Primary School and went to Rushoroza Girls' School for secondary school. She later trained as a teacher at Kinyamasika Tereza college.[1][6][5] Mbire started her first business at 19 as a primary school teacher in Kabale district, making dresses after school for sale.[7]

She left her teaching job to take advantage of the scholarship Israel was offering for people training in hotel management. She spent 2 years in Israel, receiving a diploma in hotel and tourism management from Tel Aviv's Tadmora hotel.[6][1][5]After returning from Israel, Mbire became the first African executive housekeeper at the Apollo Hotel (now known as the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala), where she worked until 1973.[1][6] She later joined Uganda Hotels and became a nationwide trainer for three years.

Mbire has a professorship recognition from United Graduate and Seminar of America and was also a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Nkumba University in 2008.[2]

Furthermore, she started a flower shop, Kampala florist, becoming Uganda's first and only florist for close to 15 years.[1][7][6]

She later opened a garments' industry called Pop-in industry, a factory that tailored women's clothes,[6][7] but was forced to change business after Idi Amin's soldiers looted 100 sewing machines and rendered 200 workers and Mbire jobless.[1]

Mbire tstarted "Home pride", a bakery that was the first to introduce sliced bread in Uganda.[7][6]

She later went into interior design with "Habitat interiors" by capitalizing on her experience arranging rooms at Sheraton Hotel.[1][6]

Mbire, alongside Ms Ida Wanendeya, Justice Mary Maitun, and Ms Mary Mulumba, co-founded the Uganda Women's Finance and credit Trust with a mission to offer collateral free loans to low income earners and more particularly women who had no collateral.[1]

Mbire received a global recognition Award for leading women entrepreneurs of the world from the star group of America and was recipient of the World of Difference Award at the International Global Alliance of Women Global Forum in Washington DC.[2]

She was also knighted by Pope Francis in 2021 for her work in the Catholic Church.[8][9][3]

Personal life

Mbire was married to Possiano Mbire with whom she had 6 children and 10 grandchildren.[6][7][2] Her husband died in 1985.[6]

The song "Maama Mbire" by Bobi Wine and Juliana Kanyomozi was a dedication from her son Charles Mbire to celebrate her 70th birthday in 2004.[1][6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Maama Mbire: The mother of business". Monitor. 2020-09-14. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Mama Mbire, seven more for World of Difference Awards". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  3. 1 2 "Pope Francis knights Mama Mbire, Emmanuel Katongole, 6 others for exemplary service". PML Daily. 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  4. ↑ "Tereza Mbire Interview UWEAL Uganda". YouMeWe Amplified Podcast. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
  5. 1 2 3 McLymont, Rosalind (March 2006). "Women Leaders of Africa; The sky is only the beginning". Network Journal. 13 (4): 50. ProQuest 222648723.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Mama Mbire: 71 and still thinking big". New Vision. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Mwesigye, Shifa (26 March 2013). "Women's business secrets". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  8. ↑ "Pope knights Katongole, Mama Mbire for exemplary service". Bukedde. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  9. ↑ "Pope Francis knights mama Mbire for exemplary service". UGNEWS24. 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
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