Connecting female entrepreneurs to digital platforms that provide access to information and resources is possible, even in low-income and low-bandwidth settings. However, supporting initial take-up may require traditional, in-person marketing and onboarding. This brief shares lessons from a pilot of a digital mentoring platform in Ethiopia. The target users were female entrepreneurs in Ethiopia’s Somali region. The pilot found that on-boarding female entrepreneurs to digital platforms and helping them progress through the user experience is possible, but also suggests that thoughtful design modifications are critical. These modifications include: (a) using old-fashioned marketing strategies; (b) adopting a tech-plus-touch approach; (c) prioritizing a mobile-first low-bandwidth option; (d) simplifying onboarding requirements; and (e) providing educational and guidance resources.
Authors
- Citation
- “Friedson-Ridenour, Sophia; Edey, Kinfe. 2023. Helping Female Entrepreneurs Access Digital Platforms : The Importance of a Tech-Plus-Touch Approach and Other Lessons Learned - Case Study 1. Gender Innovation Lab; January 2023. © World Bank, Washington DC. http://localhost:4000//entities/publication/8a3a5c84-d2b2-4e19-9e5e-734fb19ca64f License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
- Collections
- Africa Gender Policy Briefs
- Googlescholar linkpresent
- yes
- Identifier externaldocumentum
- 34011001
- Identifier internaldocumentum
- 34011001
- Published in
- United States of America
- RelationisPartofseries
- Gender Innovation Lab; January 2023
- Report
- 180488
- Rights
- CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO
- Rights Holder
- World Bank
- Rights URI
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/igo/
- UNIT
- Gender Impact Evaluation (AFEGI)
- URI
- https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/39510
- date disclosure
- 2023-03-12
- region administrative
- Africa Eastern and Southern (AFE)
- region country
- Ethiopia