Women's Economic Empowerment

Follow coffee farmer Noella Rwizibuka and her family as they go about their day in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in NextBillion as a part of the series “Recovery 2021,” which explores how businesses, development initiatives and the communities they serve in low- and middle-income countries are building greater resilience for a post-pandemic future.  At the worst…

In Mozambique, many students graduate without the necessary soft skills to succeed in jobs or as entrepreneurs, leaving them with limited economic opportunities. TechnoServe’s WIN program worked with the Mozambican government to revise a life skills curriculum that will help young people — and women in particular — access jobs and start their own businesses.

In East Africa, formal employment opportunities are often scarce, and entrepreneurship presents a path toward economic independence for many young women and men. TechnoServe is helping small shop owners in Kenya, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire become more profitable by connecting them with the knowledge, training, and tools they need to become successful retailers.

Cristina Manfre, TechnoServe's Global Gender Director, discusses three priorities for improving the resilience of women farmers and entrepreneurs during the recovery from COVID-19.

Being a mother is hard work no matter where you live. From raising a family to running a business or managing a farm, mothers around the world juggle many responsibilities. This Mother’s Day, TechnoServe celebrates the hardworking women who overcome a range of challenges as they try to provide a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities.

In this series, we check back with TechnoServe program participants previously featured on our blog, documenting how their lives have changed and progressed. In our previous story on N. Mangamma, a small-scale farmer in India, she was learning how to supplement her income and improve her family’s nutrition by planting kitchen gardens. Find out how she is doing now, eight months later.

Cait Nordehn joined TechnoServe in January 2021 as our new global gender advisor. In this Q&A, she answers questions about her background, what drew her to TechnoServe, and what aspect of her work she is most passionate about.

In northern Nigeria, gender norms often limit women’s abilities to control resources, including land and finance. A TechnoServe program is helping women rice farmers like Rahma Umar increase their incomes and opportunities through improved rice production.

Helping women achieve their full potential is one of the most powerful ways to fight poverty, yet many women still face immense challenges on a daily basis. Take our quiz to find out how much you know about women’s economic empowerment.