Our global reach
29
Countries with active We-Fi supported projects
50
Countries with planned We-Fi activities
65
of the $300 million of We-Fi funds planned to be allocated in low income countries
Where We Work (NEW)
Mongolia
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | Women of the Steppe – Mongolia: Projects to increase access to finance for women entrepreneurs through dedicated financing for partner financial institutions and/or women-led businesses. Includes technical assistance for financial institutions, capacity building to WMSEs, and a focus on spurring policy dialogue to create lasting systemic change for SMEs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $5.7M) |
Uzbekistan
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | Women of the Steppe – Uzbekistan: Projects to increase access to finance for women entrepreneurs through dedicated financing for partner financial institutions and/or women-led businesses. Includes technical assistance for financial institutions, capacity building to WMSEs, and a focus on spurring policy dialogue to create lasting systemic change for SMEs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $5.7M) |
Dominican Republic
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Supporting WSMEs in the tourism value chain: Project to integrate more WSMEs into the corporate supply chain of Tropicalia, a new sustainable resort being built in an underdeveloped region of the Dominican Republic. Focus on assessing hotel operations demands for locally sourced goods and services, and building capacity of local entrepreneurs, with a specific focus on women, to provide goods and services to Tropicalia and other hotel operators and tourism businesses. (We-Fi funding allocated: $303,800; Total project size: $548,800) |
Morocco
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | MENA e-Commerce and Women-led SMEs Program: Project to provide WSMEs with access to markets through e-commerce platforms and improve e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure for women entrepreneurs. The program will be implemented across the MENA region in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. (Regional budget: $3.8M) |
Tunisia
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8m) |
| World Bank Group | Investing in female-founded startups: Blended IFC/We-Fi equity investment in Flat6Labs Tunis to support providing seed capital in early-stage high impact startups and ensure that women-owned firms are a dedicated focus of the fund. Focus on increasing the funnel of women entrepreneurs participating in all Flat6Labs activities, from applications to the accelerator program. (We-Fi funding allocated: $500,000; Total project size: $7.0M) MENA e-Commerce and Women-led SMEs Program: Project to provide WSMEs with access to markets through e-commerce platforms and improve e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure for women entrepreneurs. The program will be implemented across the MENA region in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. (Regional budget: $3.8M) |
Ghana
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Women Insurance Program: Project with Activa International Insurance Ghana to increase insurance coverage for women entrepreneurs to protect them from financial risks and provide them better control over their assets. Focus on advising the insurance company on developing a women’s market value proposition and launching tailored insurance products for women, including women entrepreneurs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $100,000; Total project size: $250,000) Recent Updates: IFC, Activa Launch Insurance Program in Ghana, Aiming to Benefit 2 Million Women |
Senegal
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8m) |
| World Bank Group | Senegal: Connecting National Procurement Needs with WSMEs: Project to support building WSMEs’ capacity to access public procurement contracts, including increasing WSMEs’ awareness of public procurement market opportunities, eligibility criteria and requirements, bid preparation and follow up, and certification and registration processes. The World Bank is also partnering with UN Women and the Government of Senegal to train civil servants on how to better engage with SMEs. (Total We-Fi funding allocated: $1.9M; Total project size: $1.9M) |
Cameroon
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Women Insurance Program: Project to increase insurance coverage for women entrepreneurs to protect them from financial risks and provide them better control over their assets. Focus on advising the insurance company on developing a women’s market value proposition and launching tailored insurance products for women, including women entrepreneurs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $100,000; Total project size: $250,000) Recent Updates: IFC, Activa Launch Insurance Program that Seeks to Benefit 1 Million Women in Cameroon |
Nigeria
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
| Islamic Development Bank | Business Resilience Assistance for Value-Adding Enterprises for Women (BRAVE) Nigeria: The Islamic Development Bank’s (IsDB) We-Fi program, BRAVE Women, aims to enhance the resilience of WSMEs in fragile contexts. BRAVE Women focuses on reviving women-owned and led MSMEs in Yemen, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, with potential for scale up and replication in other fragile countries. The program focuses on providing specialized business training and grant-matching assistance to WMSMEs to help them continue operating and create new employment opportunities. (We-Fi funding allocated: $14.3M; Total project size: $14.3M) |
| World Bank Group | Developing Innovative Solutions to Improve Access to Finance for WSMEs: Project to develop innovative instruments to unlock commercial financing for women entrepreneurs. The World Bank is working with financial industry partners to deliver new technology-enabled financial products for WSMEs that address the onerous collateral requirements that can limit women-led businesses’ ability to access finance. (We-Fi funding allocated: $2.0M; Total project size: $2.0M) |
Côte d’Ivoire
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget $61.8M) |
| World Bank Group | De-risking lending to WSMEs: Performance incentive to NSIA Banque, a leading regional financial services group, alongside an IFC Risk-Sharing Facility (RSF) that also leverages IDA Private Sector Window funding to cover the first loss on the guarantee. The We-Fi incentive, structured as a rebate, seeks to motivate greater lending to WSMEs continuously throughout the entire duration of the RSF. (We-Fi funding allocated: $130,000; Project size: $22,766,000) Increasing Access to Markets and Finance for Women-led Cooperatives and Enterprises: Project to improve women-led cooperatives and SMEs’ access to markets and financial products and services. Focus on facilitating access to higher value horticultural markets. (We-Fi funding allocated: $1.0M; Project size: $1.0M) |
Zambia
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
| World Bank Group | Supporting WSME Access Finance and Capacity Building Pilot: Project to increase WSMEs’ access to markets and finance by incorporating WSME components into secured transaction and collateral registry projects, and building WSME capacity in financial management, soft skills, and access to networks. (We-Fi funding allocated: $1.0M; Total project size: $1.0M) |
Mozambique
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Increasing WSMEs’ Access to Markets and Finance: Project to increase WSMEs’ access to markets and finance, build networks, link to corporate customers and investors, and increase skills to compete in male-dominated business sectors. (We-Fi funding allocated: $1.9M; Total project size: $1.9M) |
Kenya
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
| World Bank Group | Catalyzing funding to women owned tech start ups: We-Fi and IFC equity investment in TIDE (Technology and Innovation for Developing Economies) Africa Fund, an early stage venture capital fund. Focus on increasing TIDE’s outreach and provision of finance to early stage, high-impact women-owned and managed tech startups in Sub-Saharan Africa. (We-Fi Regional program budget: $1M; Total Regional program budget: $51M) |
Ethiopia
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
| World Bank Group | Building a pipeline of women entrepreneurs in the digital space: Project to support Gebeya, a pan-African education technology company, to build a robust pipeline of women entrepreneurs in tech. Gebeya to train female software developers, provide technical and strategic guidance on business development and mentoring opportunities with more established entrepreneurs. Most promising women entrepreneurs to receive additional support from Gebeya’s accelerator, including seed funding. (We-Fi funding allocated: $250,000; Total project size: $500,000) |
Egypt
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | MENA e-Commerce and Women-led SMEs Program: Project to provide WSMEs with access to markets through e-commerce platforms and improve e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure for women entrepreneurs. The program will be implemented across the MENA region in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. (Regional budget: $3.8M) |
Djibouti
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | MENA e-Commerce and Women-led SMEs Program: Project to provide WSMEs with access to markets through e-commerce platforms and improve e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure for women entrepreneurs. The program will be implemented across the MENA region in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. (Regional budget: $3.8M) |
Jordan
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | MENA e-Commerce and Women-led SMEs Program: Project to provide WSMEs with access to markets through e-commerce platforms and improve e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure for women entrepreneurs. The program will be implemented across the MENA region in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. (Regional budget: $3.8M) |
Lebanon
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | MENA e-Commerce and Women-led SMEs Program: Project to provide WSMEs with access to markets through e-commerce platforms and improve e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure for women entrepreneurs. The program will be implemented across the MENA region in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. (Regional budget: $3.8M) |
Tajikistan
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | Women of the Steppe – Tajikistan: Projects to increase access to finance for women entrepreneurs through dedicated financing for partner financial institutions and/or women-led businesses. Includes technical assistance for financial institutions, capacity building to WMSEs, and a focus on spurring policy dialogue to create lasting systemic change for WSMEs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $5.7M) |
Pakistan
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Motivating increased investments in women entrepreneurs: IFC equity investment and We-Fi equity co-investment and rebate to make reaching women entrepreneurs a sustained focus of venture capitalist Sarmayacar. Focus on catalyzing Sarmayacar’s outreach and provision of finance to early stage, high-impact women-owned/managed startups. (We-Fi funding allocated: $500,000; Total project size: $22M) Integrating WSMEs into Entrepreneurship Ecosystem: Project to build capacity of women entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship ecosystem intermediaries, and investors to increase WSMEs’ investment readiness and access to early-stage finance. (We-Fi funding allocated: $1.9M; Total project size: $1.9M) |
India
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Increasing women insurance sub-brokers: We-Fi-funded performance incentive, alongside an IFC’s equity investment, to encourage the insurance company CoverFox to attract, train, certify, and mentor women as insurance brokers. The performance incentive to be paid out if CoverFox meets its targets for the number of women sub-brokers onboarded and certified, as well as for the amount of insurance premiums the women sub-brokers generate." (We-Fi funding allocated: $260,000; Total project size: $38.5M) Increasing women-led startups in acceleration program: Research partnership with Village Capital, a global accelerator with a high number of women-led start-ups in their portfolio, to identify how its peer-selection method contributes to this high number. Findings to be used to develop and disseminate a framework that other accelerators can incorporate to improve their pipeline of women-led startups. The program will be implemented in India and Nigeria. (Program budget: $195,000) |
Sri Lanka
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Asian Development Bank | Promoting Women’s Entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka: The program aims to ensure that more WSMEs in the country have access to finance, training, and mentorship opportunities. Building on an existing ADB line of credit, the program works to strengthen the technical capacity of a wide range of stakeholders, including banks, government agencies, and civil society organizations (CSOs) to better serve women who own and lead SMEs. Project includes the following components: - Improving gender-inclusive financial services –We-Fi grant provided alongside an ADB credit line to 10 local banks with the goal to increase lending to WSMEs throughout Sri Lanka. - Improving gender-inclusive financial services - technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of participating banks to provide gender-inclusive financial services. - Gender-inclusive policy and regulatory framework, and network strengthening – Assessment of existing policy and regulatory challenges to WSMEs and capacity development for government agencies and CSOs to promote a gender-inclusive policy environment. - Building business capacity of women’s enterprises - tailored training to strengthen women entrepreneurs’ business skills. Project includes developing an online platform to provide women entrepreneurs ongoing training and mentoring, legal and regulatory resources, and information on financial products available to WSMEs. Impact evaluation will measure the impact of business development trainings in three areas: business practices, access to finance, and business outcomes (employees, sales, and profits). (We-Fi funding allocated: $12.6M; Total project size: $35.8M) Recent Updates: Spreading the Seeds of Growth to Women SMEs in Sri Lanka |
| World Bank Group | Increasing lending to WSMEs: We-Fi performance incentive, structured as a rebate, to Nations Trust Bank (NTB) to increase its reach to WSMEs. Provided alongside an IFC senior loan targeted to support NTB’s lending to SMEs, with at least 25% of the IFC loan earmarked for on-lending to women-owned SMEs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $150,000; Total project size: $36M) |
Vietnam
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Asian Development Bank | Women Accelerating Vibrant Enterprises in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (WAVES) Vietnam: Project using blended instruments, such as performance-based lending, in combination with technical assistance and ADB lending products to improve Vietnamese WSMEs’ access to finance. Includes capacity development support for local financial institutions to strengthen their business development services for women. Partnership with the Women's Initiative for Startups and Entrepreneurship (WISE) to provide business acceleration services and capacity development training to women-led start-ups and SMEs with high growth potential. (We-Fi funding allocated: $13.4M; Total project size: $201.9M) |
| World Bank Group | Increasing lending to WSMEs in Vietnam: We-Fi performance incentive, structured as a rebate, to Orient Commercial Bank (OCB) alongside an IFC investment package that includes a $100 million loan and advisory services to boost OCB’s lending to SMEs and promote supply chain finance. Accessing the entire rebate involves doubling the size of OCB’s WSME lending portfolio. (We-Fi funding allocated: $625,000; Total project size: $100M) |
Philippines
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Women Insurance Program: Project with Malayan Insurance to promote insurance solutions for WSMEs that protect their assets and encourage increased savings. Supported Malayan in developing the We Women program, insurance solutions designed for women entrepreneurs through tailored coverage, bundling of products, and customized add-on services. (We-Fi funding allocated: $85,000; Total project size: $250,000) Women Insurance Program: Project with Insular Life insurance company to increase insurance coverage for women entrepreneurs. Supported Insular Life in developing and launching the InLife SHEROES Program, an advocacy platform, and the EntrePinay insurance solution to provide health coverage and maternity benefits to WSME owners. (We-Fi funding allocated: $75,000; Total project size: $250,000) Recent Updates: Malayan Insurance Launches We Women Program for Filipinas |
Bangladesh
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | Creating Market Opportunities for WSMEs: Project to improve access to markets and formal finance for WSMEs as reflected by participation in value chains and new market linkage opportunities. (We-Fi funding allocated: $2.65M; Total project size: US$2.65M) |
Fiji
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Asian Development Bank | Women Accelerating Vibrant Enterprises in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (WAVES) Fiji: Project to issue the first gender bond in Southeast Asia and the Pacific region. We-Fi funds to provide a first loss tranche and credit enhancement to a locally issued gender bond, which will improve the bond’s credit rating and its attractiveness to local investors. Includes support on structuring the bond, registration, and marketing. (We-Fi funding allocated: $4.0M; Total project size: $11.0M) |
Mexico
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | WeForLAC - UMIC: The Inter-American Development Bank Group’s We-Fi program, WeForLAC, promotes the growth of WSMEs by developing innovative and catalytic projects focused on: (1) Increasing access to finance for WSMEs by combining investments at scale with advisory solutions, (2) Increasing WSMEs’ access to markets, (3) Increasing WSMEs’ access to skills and networks, (4) Promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems for WSMEs. Honduras is the principal country in which a series of coordinated public and private sector initiatives will be implemented to support the growth of WSMEs. Lessons learned in Honduras will be applied to the rest of the region with a focus on lower middle-income countries. Additionally, IDBG will implement innovative financial instruments, such as gender bonds and performance incentives, in more mature financial markets. (WeForLAC UMIC budget: $9.2M) |
Brazil
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | WeForLAC - UMIC: The Inter-American Development Bank Group’s We-Fi program, WeForLAC, promotes the growth of WSMEs by developing innovative and catalytic projects focused on: (1) Increasing access to finance for WSMEs by combining investments at scale with advisory solutions, (2) Increasing WSMEs’ access to markets, (3) Increasing WSMEs’ access to skills and networks, (4) Promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems for WSMEs. Honduras is the principal country in which a series of coordinated public and private sector initiatives will be implemented to support the growth of WSMEs. Lessons learned in Honduras will be applied to the rest of the region with a focus on lower middle-income countries. Additionally, IDBG will implement innovative financial instruments, such as gender bonds and performance incentives, in more mature financial markets. (WeForLAC UMIC budget: $9.2M) |
Colombia
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | WeForLAC - UMIC: The Inter-American Development Bank Group’s We-Fi program, WeForLAC, promotes the growth of WSMEs by developing innovative and catalytic projects focused on: (1) Increasing access to finance for WSMEs by combining investments at scale with advisory solutions, (2) Increasing WSMEs’ access to markets, (3) Increasing WSMEs’ access to skills and networks, (4) Promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems for WSMEs. Honduras is the principal country in which a series of coordinated public and private sector initiatives will be implemented to support the growth of WSMEs. Lessons learned in Honduras will be applied to the rest of the region with a focus on lower middle-income countries. Additionally, IDBG will implement innovative financial instruments, such as gender bonds and performance incentives, in more mature financial markets. (WeForLAC UMIC budget: $9.2M) |
Peru
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | WeForLAC - UMIC: The Inter-American Development Bank Group’s We-Fi program, WeForLAC, promotes the growth of WSMEs by developing innovative and catalytic projects focused on: (1) Increasing access to finance for WSMEs by combining investments at scale with advisory solutions, (2) Increasing WSMEs’ access to markets, (3) Increasing WSMEs’ access to skills and networks, (4) Promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems for WSMEs. Honduras is the principal country in which a series of coordinated public and private sector initiatives will be implemented to support the growth of WSMEs. Lessons learned in Honduras will be applied to the rest of the region with a focus on lower middle-income countries. Additionally, IDBG will implement innovative financial instruments, such as gender bonds and performance incentives, in more mature financial markets. (WeForLAC UMIC budget: $9.2M) |
Mauritania
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
Mali
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
Niger
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
Chad
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget $61.8M) |
Sierra Leone
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
Tanzania
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
Uganda
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
DR Congo
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
South Africa
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
| World Bank Group | Catalyzing funding to women-owned tech startups: We-Fi and IFC equity investment in TIDE (Technology and Innovation for Developing Economies) Africa Fund, an early-stage venture capital fund. Focus on increasing TIDE’s outreach and provision of finance to early-stage, high-impact women-owned and managed tech startups in Sub-Saharan Africa. (We-Fi Regional program budget: $1M; Total Regional program budget $51M) |
Zimbabwe
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
Botswana
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget $61.8M) |
Papua New Guinea
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Asian Development Bank | Women Accelerating Vibrant Enterprises in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (WAVES) Papua New Guinea: Project to support the development of gender-responsive digital finance solutions in partnership with a local financial institution. (We-Fi funding allocated: $500,000; Total project size: $10.5M) |
Yemen
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Islamic Development Bank | Business Resilience Assistance for Value-Adding Enterprises for Women (BRAVE) Yemen: The Islamic Development Bank’s (IsDB) We-Fi program, BRAVE Women, aims to enhance the resilience of WSMEs in fragile contexts. BRAVE Women focuses on reviving women-owned and led MSMEs in Yemen, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, with potential for scale up and replication in other fragile countries. The program focuses on providing specialized business training and grant-matching assistance to WMSMEs to help them continue operating and create new employment opportunities. (We-Fi funding allocated: $8.8M; Total project size: $8.8M) |
Honduras
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | WeForLAC - Honduras:The Inter-American Development Bank Group’s We-Fi program, WeForLAC, promotes the growth of WSMEs by developing innovative and catalytic projects focused on: (1) Increasing access to finance for WSMEs by combining investments at scale with advisory solutions, (2) Increasing WSMEs’ access to markets, (3) Increasing WSMEs’ access to skills and networks, (4) Promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems for WSMEs. Honduras is the principal country in which a series of coordinated public and private sector initiatives will be implemented to support the growth of WSMEs. Lessons learned in Honduras will be applied to the rest of the region with a focus on lower middle-income countries. Additionally, IDBG will implement innovative financial instruments, such as gender bonds and performance incentives, in more mature financial markets. (Overall WeForLAC Honduras budget: $12.1M) |
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | Business Development Services and Favorable Environment for Women Entrepreneurs in Honduras: Project to develop a business development services model tailored to support women-led companies, with an emphasis on the digitalization of services. Focus on the developing digital platform for business strengthening and increasing market access, diagnosis, training, advice, technical assistance, mentoring, and networking. The program will target women running companies with high growth potential; women entrepreneurs from rural or low-income areas, and indigenous and Afro-descendant women. The program will also promote a favorable and safe environment for women entrepreneurs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $2.9M; Total project size: $13.9M) |
| WeXchange: Unleashing the Growth Potential of Women STEMpreneurs in LAC: IDB Lab will host the eighth edition of WeXchange in Honduras - the largest regional platform connecting women entrepreneurs in STEM, mentors, investors, and ecosystem players in LAC. The program will feature the WeXchange Honduras Forum, including a pitch competition, mentoring and networking sessions, as well as establishing a WeXchange Country Chapter which will run an entrepreneurship bootcamp for early-stage women entrepreneurs and a mentoring program WSMEs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $450,000; Total project size: $975,000) |
El Salvador
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | WeForLAC - LMIC: The Inter-American Development Bank Group’s We-Fi program, WeForLAC, promotes the growth of WSMEs by developing innovative and catalytic projects focused on: (1) Increasing access to finance for WSMEs by combining investments at scale with advisory solutions, (2) Increasing WSMEs’ access to markets, (3) Increasing WSMEs’ access to skills and networks, (4) Promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems for WSMEs. Honduras is the principal country in which a series of coordinated public and private sector initiatives will be implemented to support the growth of WSMEs. Lessons learned in Honduras will be applied to the rest of the region with a focus on lower middle-income countries. Additionally, IDBG will implement innovative financial instruments, such as gender bonds and performance incentives, in more mature financial markets. (WeForLAC LMIC budget: $1.4M) |
Guatemala
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank Group | WeForLAC - LMIC: The Inter-American Development Bank Group’s We-Fi program, WeForLAC, promotes the growth of WSMEs by developing innovative and catalytic projects focused on: (1) Increasing access to finance for WSMEs by combining investments at scale with advisory solutions, (2) Increasing WSMEs’ access to markets, (3) Increasing WSMEs’ access to skills and networks, (4) Promoting entrepreneurship ecosystems for WSMEs. Honduras is the principal country in which a series of coordinated public and private sector initiatives will be implemented to support the growth of WSMEs. Lessons learned in Honduras will be applied to the rest of the region with a focus on lower middle-income countries. Additionally, IDBG will implement innovative financial instruments, such as gender bonds and performance incentives, in more mature financial markets. (WeForLAC LMIC budget: $1.4M) |
Kyrgyz Republic
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | Women of the Steppe – Kyrgyz Republic: Projects to increase access to finance for women entrepreneurs through dedicated financing for partner financial institutions and/or women-led businesses. Includes technical assistance for financial institutions, capacity building to WMSEs, and a focus on spurring policy dialogue to create lasting systemic change for SMEs. (We-Fi funding allocated: $5.7M) |
Burundi
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget $61.8M) |
Comoros
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget $61.8M) |
Algeria
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| World Bank Group | MENA e-Commerce and Women-led SMEs Program: Project to provide WSMEs with access to markets through e-commerce platforms and improve e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure for women entrepreneurs. The program will be implemented across the MENA region in Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. (Regional budget: $3.8M) |
Burkina Faso
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Islamic Development Bank | Business Resilience Assistance for Value-Adding Enterprises for Women (BRAVE) Burkina Faso: The Islamic Development Bank’s (IsDB) We-Fi program, BRAVE Women, aims to enhance the resilience of WSMEs in fragile contexts. BRAVE Women focuses on reviving women-owned and led MSMEs in Yemen, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, with potential for scale up and replication in other fragile countries. The program focuses on providing specialized business training and grant-matching assistance to WMSMEs to help them continue operating and create new employment opportunities. (We-Fi funding allocated: $9.2M; Total project size: $9.2M) |
Mauritius
| Implementing Partner | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| African Development Bank | Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) We-Fi program, AFAWA, seeks to improve WSMEs’ access to finance across the African continent and overcoming institutional challenges constraining women’s access to finance. By employing a holistic approach, the program offers innovative and tailored financial products, including a credit enhancement instrument, specialized capacity building trainings to financial institutions and WSMEs, and targeted initiatives to transform the business-enabling environment for WSMEs. The program will be implemented in multiple countries across Africa. (AFAWA regional budget: $61.8M) |
