Project profile — Accelerating Regional Business Growth in East Africa

• Kenya (10.00%)
• Sudan (5.00%)
• Ethiopia (15.00%)
• Tanzania (15.00%)
• Zambia (5.00%)
• Uganda (25.00%)
• Rwanda (25.00%)

• Industry: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development (32130) (50.00%)
• Trade facilitation:
Trade facilitation (33120) (25.00%)
Trade education/training (33181) (25.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (principal objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

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.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased participation in regional trade by gender and environment-smart, local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in East Africa; (2) enhanced women’s participation and leadership in gender and environment-smart, local SMEs in East Africa, and implementing gender-equal pay; (3) Increased employment, as measured by creating 12,000 jobs, of which women account for 50% of the target; and (4) increased capital provided from regional and international financial actors into gender and environment-smart, local SMEs in East Africa.

Results achieved as of March 2023 include: (1) six jobs created by gender-and climate-smart companies supported by the project; (2) 22 gender-and climate-smart companies (14 women-led) developed regional trade plans because of the Regional Trade Facilitation training program and early trade mentorship activities; (3) two gender- and climate-smart companies increased the number and percentage of women employed in general and leadership positions; and (4) $5.9 million in capital mobilized from investors for gender- and climate-smart companies supported by the project.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: Accelerating Regional Business Growth - Monitoring