The crucial role played by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia's economic growth is well known. In 2019, MSMEs accounted for 60% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 97% of the national workforce. More than 64.5% of these MSMEs in the country are run by women, according to data documented by the Indonesian Bureau of Statistics in 2023.

However, the majority of these women entrepreneurs have no direct access to a large consumer base, and produce only on the basis of orders placed by intermediaries, resulting in limited revenues and profits. Also, according to recent studies by the United Nations Development Programme, most women running MSMEs are less financially literate than their male counterparts.

Overall, many women face poverty, exacerbated by gender-related inequalities and barriers, particularly in rural areas of the country, where access to education, infrastructure, healthcare, technology and government support is limited. They often face limited economic opportunities and employment restrictions, as well as greater vulnerability to economic shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Goals

Empowering a cohort of high-performing women micro-entrepreneurs to improve their business in rural areas of East Java, Bali and East Nusa Tenggara.