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Strive Women
Where: Pakistan, Peru, Vietnam
When: 2023-2027
Donor: Mastercard Impact Fund
Impact by 2027:
6 million+ reached
Direct support to 300,000+ entrepreneurs
>70% women
Education and Work
Strive Women, a four-year program led by CARE and supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, strengthens the financial health of women-led small businesses in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam. Women-led small businesses are critical contributors to economies, communities, and households worldwide.
Working with local partners, Strive Women takes a women-centered design approach to deliver tailored financial products and support services, such as digital skills building and strengthening women’s networks. The program addresses the unique gender barriers faced by women-led businesses and tests innovations related to the climate crisis and childcare, which both disproportionately impact women.
Building on a long-term commitment to women entrepreneurs, CARE is also activating an inclusive ecosystem of stakeholders. While the program will directly support over 300,000 entrepreneurs, Strive Women aims to reach over 6 million entrepreneurs in total through its campaigns.
Interested in partnering with Strive Women? Contact us at entrepreneurship@care.org.
Globally, demand for equality remains unmet:
– 80% of women-owned small businesses with credit needs are either unserved or underserved (UNSGSA, 2018).
– Globally, women spend on average 2.4+ more hours per day on unpaid care work compared to men, even when they run a business (World Bank, 2022).
– More than 1 in 4 women don’t have full financial decision-making power in their own businesses (CARE, 2022).
– Top barriers for women for mobile ownership and mobile internet use are: affordability, literacy and skills, safety and security, and family does not approve (GSMA, 2023).
Micro, small, and medium enterprises account for 90% of businesses, 60-70% of employment, and 50% of GDP worldwide (UN, 2023). Women-led small businesses are critical contributors to economies, communities, and households worldwide. However, women do not have equal access to finance. By not recognizing the potential of the women’s market, businesses are losing out on a huge opportunity. In the financial services sector, 80% of women-owned small businesses with credit needs are either unserved or underserved—a $1.7 trillion financing gap (UNSGSA, 2018).
By focusing on the financial health of a woman entrepreneur, CARE and partners will support her to balance both her household and business cashflow, prepare for and manage financial shocks, and increase her decision-making power. Ultimately, Strive Women supports women running small businesses to feel confident, in control, and able to invest in what matters to both her family and her business.
Strive Women supports micro and small enterprises, 70% of which will be women-led with at least two employees, and who have been in business for at least two years. The program runs from 2023 to 2027 in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam where women face multiple gender barriers and there are large segments of unserved and underserved micro and small businesses ready for investment.
Strive Women in Pakistan supports women entrepreneurs to feel confident, resilient, in control, and equipped to grow their businesses, so they gain economic power in their households, communities, and economies. Read More
Strive Women in Peru supports women entrepreneurs to feel confident, resilient, in control, and equipped to grow their businesses, so they gain economic power in their households, communities, and economies. Read More
Strive Women in Vietnam supports women entrepreneurs to feel confident, resilient, in control, and equipped to grow their businesses, so they gain economic power in their households, communities, and economies. Read More
CARE’s Rathi Mani-Kandt shares insights on supporting women entrepreneurs and collaborating with local partners.
By Rathi Mani-Kandt · November 21, 2023
CARE and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth show how boosting in the economic power of women like Fariha is a smart investment. Read More
November 15, 2023
At the APEC CEO Summit today, Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth (the Center) and CARE, an international humanitarian organization, announced the launch of Mastercard Strive Women — a new program that aims to strengthen the financial health and resilience of small businesses in the APEC economies of Peru and Vietnam, as well as in Pakistan, with a focus on small businesses led by women. Read More
Strive Women, a four-year program (2023-2027) led by CARE and supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, strengthens the financial health of women-led small businesses in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam. Read More
Ignite set out to reach 3.9 million entrepreneurs in 3 years with $5.26 million USD in grant funding from Mastercard.
CARE and Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth organized a practitioner dialogue to share practical insights and learnings from the Ignite Program where three panelists discussed key drivers to scale impact for women-led micro and small businesses financial health – specifically around childcare, green business, and measurement practices. The event was closed with a group discussion of actionable steps for joint efforts. Read More
In partnership with Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, CARE’s Ignite Program unleashed the power of growth-oriented entrepreneurs.
Strive Czechia unleashes the power of Micro and Small Enterprises in the Czech Republic to succeed in the digital economy.
Strive Women is part of Mastercard Strive, a global portfolio of philanthropic programs aimed at helping small businesses around the world thrive in the digital economy. The program is implemented by CARE, supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and funded with a $9 million USD investment from the Mastercard Impact Fund.
CARE works around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice. We seek a world of hope, inclusion and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live with dignity and security.
90% of all our expenses go to program services.
90% of all our expenses go to program services.
CARE is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Our EIN number is 13-1685039. © 2024 CARE. All rights reserved.