RENEW International Canada, Ltd.

Published purpose

This project contributes to developing a growing, resilient, and gender-responsive small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in East Africa. It contributes to women’s economic empowerment, decent jobs, regional trade, and investment. Project activities include: (1) developing and delivering tailored trainings on topics including regional marketing strategies, and the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area on SMEs to 1,000 entrepreneurs and managers; (2) enhancing and delivering trainings on private investment processes to 1,000 entrepreneurs and managers and 350 executives of growing and leading gender and environment-smart companies. Also, developing effective finance and accounting systems for 300 finance professionals; (3) conducting consultations and developing a needs assessment to enhance the SME Gender Growth Acceleration (SG2X) Investment Playbook. This includes creating and delivering a training program for 50 entrepreneurs and executives on how to adopt and implement the SG2X Guide; (4) organizing 100 hands-on educational apprenticeships in SMEs to teach gender-sensitive managerial competencies and disciplines to women and men executives; (5) hosting educational calls, meetings, and events with investors to build their knowledge on investing in gender and environment-smart and trade-ready East African SMEs; and (6) strengthening 350 entrepreneurs’ and executives’ pitching, marketing, and networking capacities.