WiDEF Announces Semifinalists in First Round of Awards

WASHINGTON, September 9, 2024 /3BL/ - The Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF) is pleased to announce the semifinalists for its first round of awards. This diverse group of twenty entities represents a range of exceptional work being done in sixteen countries around the world to address gender digital inequities and connect women with technology in meaningful and sustainable ways.

“These semifinalists represent the future: putting resources and support in the hands of the local organizations best placed to define and deliver lasting solutions. By supporting locally-led efforts, we hope WiDEF not only significantly improves women’s inclusion in the digital economy but also provides a model for putting localization at the center of digital inclusion efforts more broadly.” said Dr. Revi Sterling, WiDEF Technical Director.

The call for proposals received over 1350 applications from 98 countries, showcasing the urgency of addressing digital inclusion and the remarkable efforts being made in local communities. In the semifinalist list, 85 percent are women-led organizations, reflecting WiDEF’s commitment to support women-led and gender transformative solutions and ensure the voices and institutions closest to the gender digital divide are central to the effort. The semifinalists work to tackle major barriers to equitable digital inclusion such as access to affordable devices and online experiences; availability of relevant products and tools; digital literacy and skills; safety and security; and restrictive social norms. The group was selected through a rigorous, multi-stage process including an external selection panel of industry experts. Each semifinalist rose to the top based on the clarity of the solution they proposed, the potential for impact at scale and the evidence of previous impact of their approaches.

Dr. Karen Smit, Accessibility Lead at Vodacom and WiDEF Advisory Council member noted, “we are delighted about this range of projects and programs as they will enhance women’s participation in digital society and in doing so, narrow the gender digital divide.”

The WiDEF Round 1 Semifinalists are:

BASAbali Wiki (Indonesia): BASABali is closing the gender digital divide through civic engagement via the BASAbali wiki. The BASABali “wikithons” aim to draw young women and marginalized populations into policy discussions. The program has already reached 4 million youth users.

CITAD (Nigeria): CITAD is tackling the gender digital divide in northern Nigeria by enhancing young people’s digital skills, expanding their access to the Internet, and advocating for policies and practices that promote gender equality and inclusive civic engagement.

CIRCLE Women’s Association (Pakistan): CIRCLE is focused on deploying Generative AI solutions and IVR-based digital training. Their approach includes delivering personalized, voice-based GenAI solutions in Urdu via basic mobile phones, increasing accessibility for women who do not own smartphones.

DEMO (Pakistan): DEMO is addressing Pakistan’s gender digital divide by providing digital entrepreneurial training to 10,000 female university students in remote and underserved regions, aiming to empower women and ensure financial independence.

DOT Kenya (Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda): Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT), Kenya’s “Digital Skills at Scale” initiative, aims to empower 10,000 young women in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda with digital and entrepreneurial skills, addressing socioeconomic barriers and safety concerns, as well as fostering leadership through “Digital Champions” to drive community change.

Ensibuuko (Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana): Ensibuuko will digitize Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana by creating 5,000 digital savings groups led by young women with aspirations to empower 125,000 members with improved financial management and opportunities through digital innovation.

Gerege Systems (Mongolia): Gerege Systems LLC’s Digital Nomad Platform aims to empower women-led businesses in Mongolia by bridging the digital gender divide and formalizing informal labor. The platform, accessible via app, website, kiosks, and POS systems nationwide, offers features like B2B networking, digital and financial literacy training, mental health support, and financial inventory management.

Hacey Health Initiatives (Nigeria): HACEY Health Initiative’s FEED intervention empowers marginalized women in Nigeria’s Niger and Ogun states by providing digital literacy training, financial services access, and business development support, aiming to bridge the gender digital divide and enhance economic empowerment in rural and peri-urban areas.

KICTANet (Kenya): KICTANet’s “Empowering Kenya Rural Women Through Digital Literacy” program aims to boost digital inclusion for marginalized women in 21 rural counties by providing digital literacy training, affordable loans for devices, and comprehensive support.

New Sun Road (Guatemala): New Sun Road’s Digital Community Centers (DCCs) are set to empower approximately 250,000 indigenous Guatemalan women by providing electrification, internet access, and digital literacy training in both Spanish and Mayan languages to remote communities, addressing barriers of isolation, education, and representation in the digital economy.

Pathway Technologies and Services Limited (Nepal): This program aims to reduce the digital gender gap among rural and marginalized women farmers in Nepal by increasing access to affordable, safe, and innovative digital platforms to enhance farm production, market linkages, and profit generation

Player First Limited / MESH (Kenya): Player First Limited/MESH’s Bridging the Gender Digital Divide (BGDD) program seeks to empower female-led informal micro-businesses in Kenya by providing an online community platform for marketing, financial management, and customer engagement for young entrepreneurs.

Smart Regional Consultants (Kenya): Smart Regional Consultants (SRC) aims to bridge Northern Kenya’s digital gender divide by enhancing economic opportunities for rural women through digital literacy programs, leveraging five existing incubation centers, and influencing policy for a more inclusive digital economy.

Tech Project Women (Nigeria): Tech Project Women, a feminist organization in Nigeria, seeks to enhance the personal and societal development of women and girls in peri-urban communities by improving digital skills, financial inclusion, and employability, while also addressing online harassment and gender-based violence.

Think Web (Indonesia): Think Web’s “Digital Advancement Program for Women” in East Indonesia aims to bridge the gender digital divide by enhancing education, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship skills among women, including those with disabilities, to thrive in the digital age.

El Proyecto Hambre (The Hunger Project) (Mexico, Malawi, Ghana): El Proyecto Hambre’s program “Empowering the Digitally Underserved” (EDU) program works to bridge the digital divide for indigenous persons, women, and people with disabilities in Mexico, Malawi and Ghana. The program focuses on increasing internet access and promoting participation in the digital economy.

WIT Uganda (Uganda): Women in Technology Uganda is scaling its digital literacy program with a Zero-Rated Work Opportunity Aggregation Platform to connect women with local and international job opportunities, using AI for job matching and gig platforms to enhance employability and digital economy participation.

Women in Digital (Bangladesh): Women in Digital aims to train and empower 20,000 women and girls in Bangladesh with ICT skills, from entry-level to advanced, while creating a database to connect them with employers, thereby improving digital inclusion, economic security, and resilience.

WOUGNET (Uganda): Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) has launched a feminist-led digital hub in Northern Uganda to address the challenges women and girls face in utilizing ICT tools. Through the hub, WOUGNET is implementing ICT development projects in areas such as agriculture, good governance, and online safety.

Zimba Women (Uganda): Building on a successful partnership with the Uganda Communications Commision, Zimba Women will implement a 24-month program in Northern and Eastern Uganda to enhance digital and financial literacy, offering workshops and training in local languages to women aged 15-45, addressing barriers to access exacerbated by conflict and natural disasters.

WiDEF will announce the final awardees of this inaugural round of funding later this year.

For organizations interested in WiDEF assistance, the fund is currently accepting applications from private enterprises seeking technical assistance in their efforts to close the gender digital divide. More information can be found at https://widef.global/funding.

About WiDEF

The Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF) is a joint effort between USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate progress on closing the gender digital divide. WiDEF identifies, directly funds, and accelerates investment in proven solutions to close the gender digital divide, improving women’s livelihoods, economic security, and resilience. WiDEF is managed by CARE, the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, and GSMA.

For all inquiries, please contact: learnmore@widef.global and usa.media@care.org