Awe: An International Collaborative Research Project on African Women Entrepreneurs' Lived Experiences and Needs

Background and purpose: Research has demonstrated that women entrepreneurship can make significant contributions towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically to the eradication of poverty, gender equality and economic growth. However, women entrepreneurs in developing countries continue to face obstacles in accessing skills and resources to grow their businesses. While international development programs have focused on promoting entrepreneurship and women have accessed these programs, more research is needed to understand women’s experiences, and to adapt programs to their particular needs. Following a UN gender mainstreaming approach, this study aims to document the experiences, needs and concerns of African women entrepreneurs. Through qualitative methods, it explores their challenges and supports, and their training, networking, and mentoring needs.

Methods: This pilot study was conducted through a collaborative effort between E4Impact, the University of Sacro Cuore in Milan, Catholic University in Zimbabwe (CUZ) and Boston University (BU). Data was collected in 2021/2022 through three focus groups, two in person and one on zoom. Seventeen Zimbabwean women were recruited through convenience-sampling among E4Impact Global Impact MBA in Entrepreneurship alumni. The 13 participants from the in-person focus groups came from Harare; the 5 participants from the online focus group came from rural areas. Women’s businesses were located both in the formal and informal economy. Data was transcribed verbatim and coded with narrative thematic analysis.

Findings: Women reported challenges in growing their businesses due to their multiple household manager and maternal responsibilities. Women felt that they didn’t have the flexibility and time to travel, learn, and attend social business events like men did. Some women perceived themselves as more conservative in the use of social media, in taking loans, or deciding to pursue higher income entrepreneurial activities further away from their homes, all of which “limited their growth aspirations”. The study found that women entrepreneurs primarily receive support from their families, in the form of direct involvement in the businesses and financial literacy. Women expressed a desire for more governmental assistance, access to credit, skills, and flexible regulations. Women considered mentorship crucial to their businesses' success; preference was given to women mentors with the relevant experience. Additionally, women perceived networking as very important in their environments. Indeed, one said that her political connections allowed her to navigate bureaucracies, especially during covid. However, most found networking challenging, as this occurs in male dominated spaces created around men’s sports and activities in hours in which women cared for their children.

Implications: The findings highlight the importance of applying a gender lens to development programs by first listening to women’s lived experiences and needs. To be gender responsive, programs need to invest in network development for women, and provide more women-to-women mentorship opportunities. These should be done at times and around activities that are accessible to women. Additionally, program managers need to engage other actors in the ecosystem to create more inclusive environments. Supporting women entrepreneurs also implies tackling the root causes of gender inequality in access to resources and in the form of inequitable gender norms.