In Focus: Some resources like schemes, initiatives and policies for women entrepreneurs in Sudan
#WomenEntrepreneurs #SudanBusiness #Entrepreneurship #WomenInTrade #BusinessGrowth #FinanceForWomen #StartupSupport #InclusiveEconomy #WomenLead #EconomicEmpowerment
Sudan, located along the Nile River, is celebrated as “The Gift of the Nile”. Even though women entrepreneurs in Sudan face unique challenges, from limited access to financing & business networks to navigating complex regulatory landscapes, various initiatives & resources are helping to create opportunities for women-led businesses across sectors. In Sudan, policies for women entrepreneurs aim to address capacity, financing & ecosystem knowledge gaps – focusing on areas like agriculture, trade, services & light manufacturing.
Government policies and international programs like AWEAF (Accelerating Women’s Entrepreneurship and Access to Finance) are instrumental in providing financial support, capacity-building & mentorship to women entrepreneurs. Additionally, local business incubators, microfinance institutions & networking platforms are empowering women with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed in Sudan’s evolving economic landscape.
Now, let us explore the essential resources available to women entrepreneurs in Sudan, highlighting key organizations, funding opportunities, and support systems designed to foster inclusive and sustainable business growth. So, whether launching a startup or scaling an existing enterprise, these resources are crucial for unlocking potential and driving economic progress.
- Accelerating Women’s Entrepreneurship and Access to Finance (AWEAF)
The Accelerating Women’s Entrepreneurship and Access to Finance (AWEAF) project addresses issues like – capacity, financing & knowledge gaps for Sudan’s women entrepreneurs. The financing comes in the form of a grant.
The project aims to help women access quality business development services and financing, as well as to improve the quality of services provided by financial institutions serving women entrepreneurs in Sudan’s Khartoum and Red Sea states.
Under the project, 570 micro, small and medium enterprises owned or led by women are expected to receive high quality technical and business development training and a finance pot of up to $11 million.
The AWEAF project focuses its interventions on four key sectors where women are economically active: agriculture, trade, services, and light manufacturing. Project activities will be carried out through the following three components:
1) Knowledge Generation and Capacity Development and Support for Business Competitiveness of WMSMEs;
2) Improved Access to Finance for WMSMEs; &
3) Project Management.
The project cost was estimated at UA 10.74 million, of which AfDB was financing UA 9.97 (92,82%) from the Transition Support Facility Pillar I and the Government of Sudan contributeed UA 0.77 million (7,18%) of the total project cost. The project implementation is to cover five years (2020-2025).
- Sudan Women and Youth Entrepreneurship (SWAYE) Project
Here the objective is – to increase entrepreneurship and access to finance for MSMEs, focusing on women and youth owned/managed MSMEs.
To tackle economy-wide and firm-level constraints, the project broadly consists of three components:
1. Improving the enabling environment for MSME development; a strong institutional set-up and robust planning which is critical to enable private sector led growth in Sudan.
The project activities will support foundational activities that include: (i) strengthening the institutional, legal and regulatory framework and ii) enhancing market infrastructure: including strengthening the business registration system and credit infrastructure.
2. Access to finance and business development services for MSMEs. This component would aim to increase access to affordable finance and firm-level demand side support for MSMEs, focusing on women and youth owned/led MSMEs.
It would be structured around three subcomponents, with accompanying technical assistance – (I) liquidity support, (ii) de-risking instruments and (iii) business development services to entrepreneurs. Liquidity support could be through a line of credit for on-lending to participating financial institutions then to MSMEs, or other direct lending schemes (with strong eligibility criteria).
3. Project Management and Coordination. This component will finance support for project implementation.
https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/project-detail/P176998
- WE-RISE! Project
In the framework of WE-RISE! Project, Microfinanza Srl provides technical assistance to the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Khartoum – to assess, design & monitor the implementation of Financial Schemes and Financial and Non-Financial Services to vulnerable beneficiaries in Sudan.
Revolving funds schemes for women’s associations
Develop and scale-up Women‘s Associationism in Red Sea State – to boost female micro-entrepreneurs and women-led Income-generating Activities (IGAs). The service will support Sudanese micro-entrepreneurs to mitigate economic shocks and overcome cultural barriers by strengthening their socio-economic role in the family and community. Here, women will have access to in-kind productive assets and tailored training on financial inclusion, business, and leadership. Women’s Associations running a Revolving Fund will also access the formal banking system with a broader variety of financial services.
A cooperative loan for productive cooperatives
Supporting EBDAA Bank – a local Micro Finance Institution – in the design and pilot of a new financial product for Women’s Cooperatives.This technical assistance aims to enhance the outreach of the local Microfinance company – among underserved, vulnerable women working in cooperatives and productive organizations.
The design and pilot of a new Sharia-compliant Islamic financial service complements Ebdaa’s portfolio of saving and lending products, introducing new credit ceilings and risk-sharing mechanisms.
An Internal TA & Investment Committee awards the service package through a competitive process, assessing the entrepreneurs’ capacity to innovate, grow, and contribute to Social Development Goals (SDGs).
The Project’s partner is Ebdaa Microfinance Bank. And, this technical assistance is looked after by Avrio Impactin collaboration with IFAASas a subcontractor.
An incubator and accelerator for MSMEs and Startups
The creation of new businesses, and the strengthening of established ones can positively impact the economic development and mitigate gender disparities and social exclusion in Sudan.The service aims to support innovative start-ups and established MSMEs in Kassala and the Red Sea States through an incubation and acceleration program.
The business development hub, with its flow of financial and non-financial services, will improve the access of women, youth, and people living in vulnerable situations to a more inclusive market system.
And as service provider, this technical assistance has been awarded to MDF in consortium with SAVANNAH.
A VSLA Scheme for microentrepreneurs and smallholder farmers
Creation of Village Savings and Loans Associations to provide socio-economic relief and resilience to vulnerable women in Kassala and Gedaref states.The service aims at the creation, development, and management of women’s Village Savings and Loans Associations. Through the mobilisation of smart allocation of savings, and the improvement of their financial and business skills, women will have the means and skills to build and grow Income Generation Activities (IGAs) to provide for their family needs and those of their communities.
The service provider is CDF – Child Development Foundation.
- Youth and Women Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Programme (YWAE)
YWAE aims to create new agri-businesses and support existing ones – for women and youth in South Sudan. By improving their access to finance and markets, farmers can be boosted from subsistence to commercial levels. The focus is on – groundnut, sorghum, moringa, fisheries, honey and cassava value chains.
SPARK partners with Premium Agro-hub, local business skills training consultants – to develop training materials for and to give training to 350 illiterate entrepreneurs. Demand-driven rent-to-own schemes have been utilized for beehives and fishing nets, and in-kind loans are provided to SMEs, such as seeds for groundnuts or moringa seedlings.
Moringa, being highly nutritious and thus able to contribute to food security, was selected as value chain for a business plan competition. Selected businesses will receive support at the SPARK business incubator, where entrepreneurs have the opportunity to utilize processing machines and coaching services to start their agribusinesses.
https://spark.ngo/programme/youth-and-women-agribusiness-entrepreneurship-programme-ywae
- South Sudan Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment Project (SSWSEEP)
South Sudan Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment Project (SSWSEEP), is an initiative which has a number of objectives. It is designed to – provide support to women-owned businesses, provide services for survivors of Gender-based Violence & strengthen the institutional environment for women’s empowerment.
As part of SSWSEEP, the International Rescue Committee, and Open Capital, in collaboration with South Sudan’s Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and UN Women, had launched theWomen Entrepreneurial Opportunity Facility (WEOF). This initiative empowers South Sudanese women entrepreneurs in Juba by providing training, tailored business development support, and financing to drive business growth. The programme is structured around three key pillars: Seed Lab, Growth Lab, and WEOF Connect.
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
Poonam Sinha
