Promoting small businesses in Africa: #WOMENCALLETHIOPIA

On 1 July 2023, WIDU.africa launched a new call for applications that will allow up to 100 women micro-entrepreneurs to receive grants and coaching. The WIDU #WomenCall is a pilot project of WIDU in Ethiopia and Tunisia, that aims at supporting businesses owned by women. The #WomenCall is open to existing micro- and small businesses owned by women.

WIDU.africa offers different grant schemes to support micro and small enterprises. WIDU Grants | WIDU Promoting Small Businesses in Africa: With the Original WIDU Grant where diaspora members and Ethiopian entrepreneurs jointly apply, and the other one is thematic call grants, which doesn’t require a diaspora involvement. The entrepreneur, who needs to be the business owner, will then receive the grant amount and the business training.

It aims at job creation in Ethiopia and other African countries by redirecting remittances from the African diaspora in Europe into micro and small businesses of relatives or friends in Africa. By providing a matching grant of up to ETB 145,000 and accompanying Ethiopian entrepreneurs with business training, WIDU wants to support micro and small entrepreneurs to harness and sustain their economic success.

In the #WomenCall, any woman who already owns a micro/small business can apply for the grant and obtain business training. Women who operate in industries in which women are underrepresented and are business owners will have the possibility to apply for a grant of amounting up to ETB 145,000.

Why supporting women entrepreneurship?

Despite their potential, African women entrepreneurs often face major obstacles when it comes to launching or developing their businesses, whether due to lack of access to finance, limited access to information, or societal and cultural norms.

WIDU.africa, recognizes these structural barriers and aims to create more inclusive business environment for women entrepreneurs to allow them access equally resources, information and markets and become full-fledged actor of the economic development in their communities.

In this context, WIDU is launching a targeted initiative to address these disparities and create opportunities for women-owned businesses in exclusivity in Ethiopia and Tunisia: #WomenCall. This is the only grant type of WIDU that does not involve diaspora members.

The objective of the #WomenCall is to support and empower women entrepreneurs to boost their businesses and create jobs. By focusing on women-owned businesses, WIDU aims to address the gender gap in entrepreneurship and foster an inclusive ecosystem where women can thrive.

Requirements for the selection process and how does it work?

Women with existing businesses
Applicant must be female
Employment creation for women (For whom can this business create jobs?)
Overall coherence of the application
Degree of innovation (Is it a new or creative type of business? Is it something that does not yet exist very often in the country?)
Gender transformative impact (Does the business have a gender transformative impact? Does it help overcoming harmful gender and social norms?)
Vulnerability (Is the business in an underserved area/ region or from a rural area? Does the applicant have limited other opportunities for access to finance, access to professional coaching and to business networks?)

Duration of Call

The #WomenCall is open for applications from 01 July 2023 to 15 August 2023.

How much do applicants get from the #WomenCall Grant?

The grant amount depends on the amount the entrepreneur is willing to invest in her business. By providing a matching grant of up to ETB 145,000 and accompanying Ethiopian women entrepreneurs with business trainings. WIDU business training provides 2.5 times the own investment of the entrepreneur.

The grant amount is calculated based on the investment amount of the entrepreneur: Private Investment x 2.5 = Grant Amount

Here are the minimum and maximum amounts:

Example 1: Minimum amounts
Minimum own investment of female entrepreneur/business owner: ETB 14,500
= WIDU contribution would, in this case, be ETB 36,250 + Corona top-up ETB 14,000
ETB 14, 500 x 2.5 = ETB 36.250

Example 2: Maximum amounts
Maximum own investment of female entrepreneur/business owner: ETB 58,000
= WIDU contribution ETB 145,000 + Corona top-up ETB 14,000
ETB 55,500 x 2.5 = 145.000 ETB

Target group:

Special consideration will be given to applicants that operate in industries in which women are underrepresented; and to applicants from underserved backgrounds and contexts (e.g. rural areas).