The Women's Social Entrepreneurship Initiative (WSEI) is a program designed to help women transition from informal "survival" entrepreneurship to sustainable income generation, strengthening their economic, social, and human resilience and positioning them as business leaders in their communities. It is led together by the French Red Cross and the Kenyan Red Cross. 25 women will participate directly in a 6-month incubation program, 300 people will participate in monthly events.
Mombasa County has Kenya's highest youth unemployment rate (44%) and lacks entrepreneurial support organizations compared to Nairobi. Women, who make up the majority of informal micro-enterprise owners, face gender inequalities such as lower literacy rates, restricted access to banking, and high contribution to the household. Transitioning informal enterprises to the formal sector unlocks access to credit, government contracts, and social protections, enabling women to scale sustainably.
Six-month support program including individual coaching, a grant and various training modules - Basics of entrepreneurship - Human-centered design - Business formalization and taxation - Financial literacy - Digital skills - Digital marketing - Interpersonal skills - Investment preparation - Sessions on mental health and gender-based violence A lighter version of these modules will be offered each month in remote communities.
The Women's Social Entrepreneurship Initiative aims to enhance community resilience by reducing economic vulnerabilities. By empowering women through entrepreneurship, the program promotes gender equality, economic independence, and long-term social impact. A formal social impact assessment study will be conducted right after the program, followed by another six months later.
