Tech

ADB launches mapping project for African women entrepreneurs

Published

4 months ago

July 13, 2024

The African Development Bank (ADB) has launched a mapping project targeting 160 women entrepreneurs’ associations in 16 African countries.

The mapping project which is supported by the Bank Group’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative and Gender Equality Trust Fund (GETF) will strengthen the associations’ visibility, improve their institutional capacities, and facilitate access to financing, according to ADB’s Vice-President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Beth Dunford.

In a statement issued by the Bank, the initiative is an important step in its commitment to supporting African women entrepreneurs, promoting women’s economic empowerment and boosting inclusive growth in Africa.

Dunford who officially launched the project at a ceremony in Abidjan which was attended by several associations, umbrella organizations and coalitions of women entrepreneurs, alongside about two hundred others who joined virtually, said it was the ADB’s plan to promote collaboration and networking with women entrepreneurs in the continent.

“The African Development Bank’s Action Plan for Engaging with Civil Society 2024-2028 illustrates our commitment to inclusivity, transparency and accountability,” stated Dunford.

Also speaking at the launching, Zeneb Touré, head of the Civil Society and Community Engagement Division at the Bank, said:

“Associations of women entrepreneurs are catalysts for reforms and innovations that support female entrepreneurship and facilitate women’s access to the economic resources they need to realize their full potential.”

Ms. Dagou Yvonne Nivine Gadji, representing the SEPHIS Foundation which facilitates access to Bank funding for women-led SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized that the associations identified for the mapping project would be “catalysts for reforms, a boost to women’s empowerment and a crucible for building the capacity of several other networks of women entrepreneurs.”

“We are truly concerned about the issue of access to funding. However, it’s very difficult in Africa, because most women don’t have a guarantee for raising the funds they need.

“There are microfinance organizations that support women, but their interest rates are very high. We think that the AFAWA programme, through the Gender Equality Trust Fund (GETF), can help us,” she said.

Related Topics:ADB Africa Featured Mapping Women Entrepreneurs

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Tech

Fintech startup DigMo launched in Zambia to gamify financial planning

Published

7 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

DigMo, a gamified fintech startup which helps users to build wealth tools from low to middle-income earners, has been launched in Zambia.

CEO of the DigMo Group, Sylvia Brune, who made the announcement, says the platform which is licensed by the Bank of Zambia to operate a wallet, offers a secure, free digital money account with a special account for users to play a financial planning game which incentivises customers to get started putting money away for the future.

“By giving customers the chance to win big rewards, DigMo is encouraging sustainable habits,” said Brune.

She stated that with an initial rollout in Zambia, DigMo wallet’s first offering, Save to Win, will make putting money away regularly, easy and rewarding with no fixed costs or fees.

“DigMo Save to Win allows users to start with small amounts – from just ZMW10 (US$0.37) – for the chance to win prizes of up to ZMW500,000 (US$19,000).

“We are committed to financial planning innovation for low and middle-income earners across Africa. To achieve this meaningful impact, we approach this like a game studio – where we constantly create and test many new products until we find those with an outsized impact,” Brune said.

“If we just take existing products and make them more affordable or accessible, it is unlikely that we can dramatically change behaviours.

“To succeed, we have engaged directly with users, observing and learning from them to develop DigMo, a solution that will dramatically improve their financial well-being and meet their unique needs,” she added.

Tech

Kenya’s startup BuuPass partners with GiftPesa to launch digital travel vouchers

Published

1 day ago

November 23, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenyan digital ticketing and transportation management solutions startup, BuuPass, has entered into a partnership with fintech company, GiftPesa, to introduce digital travel vouchers ahead of the holiday season.

In a statement by BuuPass cofounder and CEO, Sonia Kabra, the move will offer a more flexible and convenient way for Kenyans to manage and gift travel arrangements during the bustling holiday period.

“We’ve noticed a growing demand for digital solutions in the travel industry, especially during peak periods like the holiday season,” said Kabra.

“This partnership with GiftPesa enhances the travel experience for our customers, offering them a convenient way to send travel tickets as gifts and have a safety net for unconfirmed travel dates.

“Unlike traditional paper vouchers that can expire or get lost, GiftPesa vouchers are valid for 12 months and can be redeemed in parts at over 3,000 outlets across the country.

“This flexibility allows recipients to use the vouchers for multiple trips or select their preferred destination, making travel more accessible,” she added.

Founded in 2016 by Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass is a leading B2B2C mobility marketplace that enables users to search, compare, and book travel tickets via web, app, or USSD, while its SaaS platform helps bus operators manage their operations, inventory, and sales.

GiftPesa, on the other hand, is a fintech startup that provides businesses and individuals with a platform for creating digital vouchers.

The partnership between the two companies will introduce digital travel vouchers, helping users manage and gift travel arrangements during the bustling holiday period.