Women entrepreneurs grow businesses and opportunities through digital skilling program

Joan Wafula, a Kenyan teacher, exemplifies how the Women in Digital Business program transforms communities through digital skills training for female entrepreneurs.

Through a partnership between the International Labour Organization and Microsoft, Wafula learned digital marketing and technology skills that she now teaches to her students and community members. Her students, many who run small businesses to support their families, have increased sales and attracted new customers using these digital tools. The program addresses gender-based barriers by providing culturally responsive training that meets women entrepreneurs where they are, creating a ripple effect as graduates share knowledge with peers.

• Digital skills training helps female entrepreneurs overcome resource barriers and expand their businesses in developing countries
• The train-the-trainer approach creates sustainable local education networks in underserved communities
• Students use increased business income to prevent early marriage and support classmates' education
• The program has reached tens of thousands of entrepreneurs globally through accessible, gender-sensitive content