About the opportunity
The Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program provides practical, market-focused support tailored to participants at different stages of their employment, business, and trade journeys. In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the initiative is co-implemented by the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB), the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA), and the Trade and Development Fund (TDF) from 2025 to 2030 across Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Participants select categories ranging from new-to-trade youth to scaling trade enterprises.
Funding and benefits
- Practical employability, entrepreneurship, and business-management skills
- Financial literacy, management, and record-keeping skills
- Business planning and growth strategies
- Marketing and customer-development skills
- Digital business and selling tools
- Business formalisation guidance
- Cross-border trade and export-readiness skills
- Knowledge of regional markets and opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Who can apply?
- Applicants must select the category that reflects their current stage: New-to-Trade Youth, Existing Traders, Growing Trade Enterprises, or Scaling Trade Enterprises
- New-to-trade youth category is for young women and men aged 16 to 35, youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET), aspiring entrepreneurs, and those transitioning from education or vocational training
- Existing traders category is for sole traders, rural and peri-urban traders, small-scale cross-border traders, and informal businesses
- Growing trade enterprises category is for micro businesses, small businesses, home-based enterprises, and small-scale processors
- Scaling trade enterprises category is for medium-sized businesses, formal enterprises, aggregators, and growth-oriented businesses
Required documents
- Completed online application form with complete and accurate information
When to apply
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis from 2025 to 2030
How to apply
- Review the four participant categories to identify the one that best describes your current employment, business, or trade stage
- Complete the online application form via the official application link
Additional information
- The program is co-implemented by COMFWB, BTCA, and TDF
- Submission of an application does not guarantee selection, and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- You are a young entrepreneur, informal trader, or business owner in Botswana, DRC, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, or Zimbabwe looking to expand into regional markets.
- You need structured, practical training in digital business tools, financial management, or business formalisation.
- Your enterprise falls into any stage from early startup and sole trading to medium-sized scaling businesses.
What should you think carefully about?
- This is a training and capacity-building program rather than a direct cash grant or funding award.
- Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted, and selection is competitive.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This program directly supports individuals and businesses aiming to build core entrepreneurial skills, digitize operations, and understand cross-border trade frameworks such as the AfCFTA. It is an excellent fit if your short- to medium-term goals involve formalising an informal business, improving operational readiness, or accessing new African markets.
Our take
Early-stage youth, established cross-border traders, and growing business owners in the specified Southern and Central African countries should seriously consider applying for this multi-year capacity-building initiative. Those seeking direct, unconditional financial grants rather than trade skills and enterprise training may find it less suitable.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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