Women-owned micro-enterprises get digital market access boost

As part of South Africa’s Women’s Month celebrations and commemorations, UN Women South Africa is proud to announce a major milestone under the EntreprenHER programme: the promotion of access to digital markets through collaboration with Fempreneurs, designed to amplify visibility and connect women-owned micro-enterprises to buyers. EntreprenHER, funded by the De Beers Group and implemented across South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana, addresses some of the most persistent challenges women entrepreneurs face, including limited access to markets, digital exclusion, and barriers to business visibility.

The programme supports women-led micro businesses in sectors such as climate-smart agriculture, textiles, manufacturing, beauty and wellness, crafts, and hospitality. Listing these businesses on a dedicated digital platform gives them greater visibility and market access, particularly in communities like Blouberg and Musina Municipalities, while also promoting digital inclusion and sustainable economic participation.

"This Women's Month, we're moving beyond celebration to transformation. By connecting our EntreprenHER participants to the Fempreneurs digital marketplace, we're not just opening doors, we're building bridges that will carry women entrepreneurs from local markets to limitless possibilities. When women have equal access to digital markets, entire communities thrive, and that's the kind of lasting change we're committed to creating”, said Dr. Hazel Gooding, UN Women South Africa Deputy Representative. 

This collaboration marks a key achievement in Phase III of the EntreprenHER programme, where mentorship, business development support, and access to markets intersect to accelerate women-owned micro-enterprises. This will allow buyers, including corporates, government, and development partners, to procure directly from women entrepreneurs. 

One of the EntreprenHER participants, Makgabo Moremi, who is the founder of BCF Chemicals based in Blouberg, spoke about how the digital platform will benefit her business.  “Being on the Fempreneur platform will open opportunities for me to expand my market reach. My products will no longer be limited to customers in the Blouberg area, since I can now sell to clients outside my community, which is a big change from our usual door-to-door sales approach,” said Moremi.

This milestone significantly expands market opportunities for women entrepreneurs by providing them with digital visibility and direct access to buyers they could never reach before. The initiative demonstrates how targeted support can transform gender-inclusive economic participation while advancing Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality through practical digital access and economic empowerment in underserved communities.

The integration with the Fempreneurs platform complements other EntreprenHER efforts, including financial literacy training, digital inclusion, climate-smart enterprise coaching, and targeted business support for underserved women in rural and peri-urban areas. 

About EntreprenHER

EntreprenHER is a UN Women programme that was originally launched as AWOME (Accelerating Women-Owned Micro-Enterprises) in 2017 and is supported by De Beers Group. Now in its third phase, the programme continues to support women micro-entrepreneurs in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, reaching over 3,442 women between 2017 and 2024, including 1,175 in South Africa. By providing training, mentorship, and access to markets, EntreprenHER empowers women to grow, formalise, and sustain their businesses. The programme contributes to long-term poverty eradication across the Southern Africa region.

Click to here view the women-owned stores:  https://fempreneurs.co.za/members/entreprenher/