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The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) is a groundbreaking partnership that aims to unlock financing for women-led/owned businesses (WSMEs) in developing countries. We-Fi’s partners include 14 donor governments, six multilateral development banks as implementing partners, and numerous other stakeholders in the public and private sector around the world.

We-Fi’s number of active projects are rapidly growing and to date, our portfolio has encompassed 69 countries and 364 partnerships with public and private sector institutions around the world. We-Fi programs have benefitted over 158,838 WSMEs with financial and non-financial support, and financial service providers supported by We-Fi have facilitated over $3.6 billion in financing to WSMEs.

Over half of We-Fi funds go to low income (IDA-Eligible) countries, including many facing fragile, conflict and violence situations. We-Fi takes an ecosystem approach to removing barriers to women’s economic empowerment, addressing constraints and opportunities related to finance, market access, capacity and the enabling environment.

Download We-Fi Overview

WE-FI CORE DEVELOPMENT PILLARS

Access to Finance

Providing financial institutions with finance and capacity to expand women entrepreneurs’ access to debt, equity, venture capital, and insurance.

Access to Training, Mentoring, and Networks

Building the capacity of women entrepreneurs, and connecting them to mentors and networks, so that they can take their businesses to the next level.

Access to Markets

Creating better linkages to domestic and global supply chains for women entrepreneurs, in partnership with the private sector and financial institutions.

Improving the Enabling Environment 

Working with public sector actors to improve the legal and regulatory constraints that women entrepreneurs face in running their businesses.