Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Business Reporter
FEMALE entrepreneurs from Zimbabwe and across Africa are set to enjoy increased access to finance and markets under a regional funding support framework that seeks to unlock the potential of female-owned small and medium enterprises (WSMEs).
The initiative is being driven by the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) and the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa, in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group.
It targets women businesses across Southern, East and West Africa with key focus on “solutions catalysing increased access to capital for the success of women entrepreneurs”.
In a joint statement, programme drivers said the intervention will accelerate efforts to address gender inequality and drive inclusive economic transformation in the region.
“We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with the African Development Bank Group to drive increased access to finance and markets for women-owned and women-led small and medium enterprises across Southern, East and West Africa,” reads the statement.
“More than 500 growth-oriented WSMEs will be supported for scale, access to markets and investment readiness across eight African countries, which include Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
“The two-year programme will create a profitable pipeline of investable businesses ready to access finance.”
AWIEF is a pan-African women economic empowerment organisation, which nurtures and actively promotes women innovation and entrepreneurship through its development programmes, accelerators, and networking events, including the annual AWIEF conference, exhibition and awards.
The programme is organized under four components – growth accelerator in partnership with Nedbank, electronic-commerce capacity development in partnership with UNIDO, digital skills in partnership with Amazon Web Services and mentorship and advisory meant to enhance the visibility and access to role models.
WSMEs has called on women to apply for the support based on the above four categories.–@SikhulekelaniM1
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