Across Sub-Saharan Africa, women are building the businesses that keep their families and communities afloat — running shops, farms, salons, and trading businesses that form the backbone of local economies. There are an estimated 44 million small and medium businesses across the region, and roughly a third of them are owned or led by women.

But these businesses are stuck. Not because the women running them lack skill, ambition, or work ethic — but because they lack access to the tools, knowledge, and funding that would let their businesses grow.

Female entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa face a $42 billion funding gap, often locked out by a lack of digital records, formal structures, or financial literacy that lenders require.

This isn't just a women's issue — it's an economic one. When women earn, they reinvest roughly 90% of their income back into their families and communities, compared to about 35% for men. That means every dollar that reaches a woman-owned business does double duty: it grows a business today, and it lifts an entire household and community — often paying for children's education, healthcare, and better nutrition — for years to come.

Kenya, home to some of the world's highest rates of extreme poverty, sits at the center of this challenge — and at the center of the opportunity. Sustained economic growth remains one of the most powerful tools for lifting people out of poverty, and empowering women entrepreneurs is a proven way to unlock it.

We want to start closing this gap!

With this program, we will teach Kenyan women entrepreneurs the digital and AI skills that help them run their businesses more efficiently, boost their productivity, and scale their operations — while building the financial literacy and funding-readiness needed to finally access the capital that's been out of reach. It's how we’ll help them build better futures for themselves, their communities, and their country's economy.