Over the past year, the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) has significantly bolstered support for women entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan through the Women’s Empowerment Centers for Azerbaijan (WECA) project, funded by the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan. Highlights include awarding more than $100,000 in seed capital to the winners of a business-plan competition. In a country where women constitute only 21% of individual entrepreneurs and earn just 50.6% of men’s income, CIPE’s initiatives are crucial for addressing restrictive gender norms that limit women to household roles.
The “Women Do Business+” training program, the cornerstone of WECA, aims to equip local women with essential skills and tools for entrepreneurship, enhancing their participation and leadership in the economy. Developed by the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan in collaboration with Mine The Gap, this program has successfully run in Papua New Guinea and Afghanistan and has now been adapted to the Azerbaijani context. CIPE collaborated with local partners such as Finance and Social Innovation Consulting (FSIC) and Uluchay Social-Economic Innovation Center to launch the program.
Flexibility and New Partnerships Make Trainings More Accessible
After tailoring the curriculum based on surveys from 177 women, CIPE and its partners initiated the training in October 2023, focusing on financial forecasting, effective networking, business leadership, and impactful communication. Facing potential disruptions, CIPE swiftly transitioned to an online training format, ensuring the program’s continuity without compromising safety. This flexibility highlighted CIPE’s adaptability and commitment to participants’ needs. Feedback indicated a mix of preferences, leading CIPE to consider hybrid models for future training.
An unexpected partnership with AccessBank enabled CIPE to host trainings at various regional branches and offer additional sessions on digital marketing, stress management, and photography for small businesses. From October 2023 to June 2024, over 263 women in seven regions benefited from these trainings.
Competition Breeds Innovation
CIPE launched a business plan competition, awarding more than $100,000 in seed capital to 67 women across Azerbaijan, surpassing the initial goal of 35. The innovative proposals ranged from locally branded gymnastics-wear to educational services for children with special needs, underscoring the participants’ entrepreneurial spirit.
In June 2024, CIPE and the Azerbaijan Rural Women’s Association hosted a high-level networking event at a woman-owned agrotourism site in Lankaran, celebrating the achievements of 30 business plan competition winners. The event, attended by U.S. Embassy representatives, marked a significant milestone in CIPE’s efforts to build a robust network of women entrepreneurs.
Supporting Entrepreneurs Strengthens Enterprise Ecosystems
CIPE remains dedicated to fostering resilient and inclusive economies by supporting local communities of businesswomen. Hear directly from Azerbaijani women about their experiences with CIPE’s programs in the video below. This approach not only empowers individual entrepreneurs but also strengthens the broader ecosystem, driving sustained economic growth and social inclusion in Azerbaijan.
Published Date: July 30, 2024