Conectad@s: supporting female micro-entrepreneurs transition to the digital world

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

Conectad@s 2.0 aims to empower 500 vulnerable women across five departments in Colombia and Bogotá by strengthening their entrepreneurial, socio-emotional, financial, and digital skills. The project supports microentrepreneurs, primarily heads of single-parent households, by enhancing their ability to digitize their businesses, improve marketing strategies, and navigate economic challenges. Through tools like Con-Héctor and Eleva, it encourages greater internet appropriation, boosts self-confidence, and promotes sustainable business growth, ultimately contributing to gender equality and resilience. 

WHY IS THIS PROJECT IMPORTANT?

Women entrepreneurs in Colombia were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, facing business closures, poverty, and increased unpaid care responsibilities, which worsened existing inequalities. High levels of financial exclusion limited digital access, and a lack of business networks hindered their ability to recover economically and sustain their ventures. Conectad@s 2.0 addresses these challenges by providing tailored digital and entrepreneurial tools that close the digital gender gap, boost economic autonomy, and enable long-term resilience and innovation in the face of future crises.