ECoWYERT

The Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-Led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program is a five-year, multi-country regional initiative designed to facilitate participation of women and youth-led enterprises in regional trade under the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the program will be co-implemented by UNDP, the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB), the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) and the Trade and Development Fund (TDF) across six countries: Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 2025 to 2030.

The program responds to persistent barriers facing women and young people, especially young women in rural and peri-urban areas, including limited business skills, low market readiness, weak access to finance, digital exclusion and an ecosystem that is often fragmented and insufficiently responsive to their needs. ECoWYERT will address these constraints through an integrated package of support across enterprise development, access to finance, and ecosystem strengthening.

Context and Rationale

Across the six target countries, women and youth-led MSMEs face interconnected barriers that limit their ability to grow and engage in regional trade. Structural factors such as discriminatory lending practices, low asset ownership, limited digital access and weak implementation of trade facilitation instruments further constrain growth.

These challenges are even more pronounced for small scale cross-border traders the majority of whom are women. Many operate informally and face high border costs, harassment, insecurity and complex procedures that undermine their earnings and increase their vulnerability.

The program is anchored in the recognition that women and youth are not only beneficiaries of trade, but potential drivers of regional growth, job creation and resilience. By building their capacities and strengthening the ecosystem, ECoWYERT seeks to help turn the promise of AfCFTA into a tangible economic opportunity.

Latest News

News

Beyond the Training Room: Building the Capacity to Turn Regional Trade Opportunities into Business Growth

How do you equip women and young entrepreneurs across six countries with the practical skills they need to build stronger businesses and access regional markets? Part of the answer lies not only in who receives the support, but in who is equipped to deliver it. For the Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-Led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program, this distinction matters. Supporting an entrepreneur through one training can make a difference. But building the capacity of the institutions and trainers who will continue working with entrepreneurs has the potential to extend that difference much further.

Learn More

Featured Posts

Blog
Six Countries, Shared Practices and a Stronger System of Support

In Gaborone, Botswana, practitioners supporting businesses across six African countries came together with a common challenge: how do you help more women and young entrepreneurs move from running businesses to being ready to trade across borders?

Learn More
Photo of a young girl presenting on stage with a microphone, flip chart beside her.
Blog
From Commitment to Action: Why Strong Institutions Are the Missing Link to Unlocking Zambia's AfCFTA Opportunity

For Zambia, the National AfCFTA Institutional Strengthening Workshop represents far more than the successful conclusion of a week of technical training. It marks another important milestone in Zambia's transition from AfCFTA commitments to practical implementation.

Learn More
Group photograph on a red carpet in front of a Biashara Afrika banner, people in colorful attire.
News
From Exhibition Booths to Cross-Border Partnerships: ECoWYERT at Biashara Afrika 2026

Throughout the forum, ECoWYERT contributed to critical conversations around inclusive trade, enterprise development and cross-border collaboration, while also creating opportunities for women and youth-led businesses from across Southern and Eastern Africa.

Learn More
Large group of people posing for a group photo outside a light-colored building on a sunny day.
Stories
At the Border, in the Market, on the Margins: Malawi Unlocks the Power of Women Traders

With the Country Scan validated and the Local Project Appraisal Committee (LPAC) endorsement secured, ECoWYERT moves closer to full implementation in Malawi. The validated findings will directly shape how the programme targets beneficiaries, deploys financing, and sequences its interventions

Learn More
News
Unlocking Regional Trade Opportunities for South Africa's Women and Young Entrepreneurs

How can ecosystem players work together to remove barriers and create opportunities for women and youth entrepreneurs through capacity building, enhanced access to finance, and an enabling policy environment that supports their meaningful participation in regional trade?

Learn More
Group of people in formal attire posing outdoors in front of a modern building with palm trees.
News
Stakeholders Validate Zambia Country Scan Under the ECoWYERT Project to Strengthen Youth and Women Participation in Regional Trade

UNDP convened a high-level Validation Workshop for the Zambia Country Scan conducted under the Enhancing Capacities of Young Women and Youth-Led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program

Learn More

Program brief: children on grass holding colorful letter signs; blue header with MasterCard logo.

ECoWYERT Program Brief

The Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-Led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program is a five-year, multi-country regional initiative designed to facilitate participation of women and youth-led enterprises in regional trade under the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Learn More