Women Entrepreneurs in Kenya and Rwanda speak about the impact of the Second Chance Success project

Above: Rose Koros, Director, Diamond Academy, Kenya, and Second Chance Success Client

Women play critical roles in society- they run businesses and farms in addition to performing various domestic care responsibilities. But they often don’t receive credit for all their hard work and effort. Then there are also the barriers that women entrepreneurs face to starting up businesses. Women often lack financial literacy and access to the finance that they can use to grow their businesses.

This is where the Second Chance Success project comes in. Funded by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and in partnership with Criterion Institute, Volta Capital, and Business Partners International, the Second Chance Success project tests strategies that remove barriers to women entrepreneurs’ access to capital. By sharing the lessons learned from the Second Chance Success pilot, the project can help demonstrate why investing in women entrepreneurs and GLI approaches are effective. The results of this pilot project can lead to greater investor confidence and robust investments in women-owned businesses.

We are pleased to highlight the stories of women entrepreneurs who are working to turn their dreams into a reality. Hear from Second Chance Success clients, including Crown Jewel’s owner, Mary Bukhala, Ernestine Wyamahoro, Owner of Lamane Bakery & Café in Rwanda, and Rose Koros, Director of Diamond Academy in Kenya, discuss the challenges they’ve experienced trying to access finance and how they’re working to overcome these barriers.

Above: The Second Chance Success project videos

The Second Chance Success videos demonstrate the positive impact that finance and technical assistance can have on women entrepreneurs’ lives. We’re pleased to continue providing women entrepreneurs with the tools they need to bring their businesses to new heights. Learn more about the Second Chance Success project and check out more blogs and news from MEDA.

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  • MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates)

    MEDA is an international economic development organization that creates business solutions to poverty. We work in agri-food market systems, focusing primarily on women and youth in rural communities in the Global South. Our success is measured by income, improved processes, increased knowledge, and the creation of decent work.

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