Transforming Bolivia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem

With a women’s leadership approach, we promote women’s role as agents of change and encourage the transformation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in which they evolve to make it more inclusive and adapted to their needs and interests. The project Transforming the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Through a Gender-Based Approach (TEA WEEB) strengthens the economic autonomy of Bolivian women by reducing the barriers faced by their micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.

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Creating a sharing community 

Links between women entrepreneurs from different sectors have been strengthened. Events are organized where they can gather, build community, and encourage discussion, learning, and experience sharing. Going beyond skills acquisition, these discussions have helped them forge bonds and mutually support each other to overcome the challenges they face.

• Over 3,800 women were reached this year
• 223 activities were organized, including 35 spaces for meeting up, learning, and networking, bringing together over 1,000 participants

Strengthening women’s entrepreneurship

In partnership with actors in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, we offered training to consolidate women-led businesses, most notably through the “Leading to Transform,” “Gender Academy,” and “Digital Transformation” programs (see below). Women entrepreneurs were able to build their leadership capabilities
and their technical skills in management, communication, digital marketing, and more.
Now more confident leading their businesses, women entrepreneurs play a greater role in the governance of the chambers of commerce and industry in Bolivia and advance gender equality in the country’s business community.

93% of the women participating in the “Leading to Transform” program say that they have improved their capacity to be an agent of change to contribute
to gender equality in the business ecosystem–78% more than last year



Digital autonomy 

In collaboration with the Chamber of Industry, Commerce, Services, and Tourism of Santa Cruz (CAINCO), we created the “Digital Transformation” program in order to expand the use of digital platforms by women entrepreneurs and improve their services. This initiative contributes to narrowing the digital divide between men and women and encourages the inclusion and autonomy of women entrepreneurs.

17 women-run enterprises participated in the program this year

Adapting services for women entrepreneurs

We work in collaboration with three municipalities to improve their services for women entrepreneurs. This year, two policy proposals were developed, one pertaining
to the sharing of care responsibilities and another to women’s economic empowerment.
Partner women’s entrepreneurship chambers are also reviewing their practices in gender matters and committing to develop innovative services for their members with an intersectional approach.

Find this article in :

CECI's 2023-2024 annual report