Women Creating Wealth – Intergenerational (WCW-I) Edition

Call for Applications

Introduction

Build the business of your dreams – with a community that gets you.

Are you a woman entrepreneur with a vision but no clear roadmap? You’re not alone, and you’re not without support. The Graça Machel Trust’s Women Creating Wealth-Intergenerational (WCW-I) edition, in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, is designed to build women entrepreneurs’ confidence, skills, and networks to scale their businesses and transition from income generation to wealth creation.

This is more than a program. It’s a movement that aims to transform Africa’s economies through meaningful support to women entrepreneurs. And you belong here.

Join a powerful program of changemakers. Apply today – and let’s build the business of your dreams.

  • Young and established women who are operating a business in at least one of the following countries at the date of application:
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Senegal
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Zambia
  • Age: 18-years old and above.
  • Must have completed secondary school education.
  • Have an annual business turnover of between USD 10,000 to USD 500,000 or the equivalent of the local currency.
  • Have business experience of at least 2 years of operating any form of business.
  • You are not presently engaged in another entrepreneurship support program lasting longer than a week.
  • Your business currently employs a minimum of 5 young people and demonstrates the potential to expand further, creating additional job opportunities for the youth.
  • Have an operational business or a product/service that can be tested in the market with the potential for growth and impact.
  • Businesses can be sole proprietorships, partnerships, companies, cooperatives, or groups.
  • Business must fall within any of the following sectors:
    • Agriculture
    • Tourism
    • Manufacturing and Value addition
    • Transport and Infrastructure
    • Information & Communications Technology (ICT)
    • Building & Construction
    • Trade and services
    • Renewable Energy/Green Energy

You will learn to:

  • Strengthen your leadership and business systems.
  • Find and win markets.
  • Manage and grow your money.
  • Build a 3-year plan and pitch with confidence

The WCW Program is a 6-month sprint that will strengthen your entrepreneurial foundation and fast-track you into Technical Coaching – a personalised 3-month journey focused on scaling your business for impact and sustainability.

The program course will be offered on an online platform, Learning Management System (LMS) therefore, you need to have access to the internet.

  • There will be self-learning sessions, coaching sessions and peer-to-peer learning opportunities
  • There will be virtual networking sessions/roundtables/workshops.
  • There will be opportunities for face-to-face workshops and networking sessions.

As a Women Creating Wealth (WCW) entrepreneur, you gain access to:

Practical Business Skills

  • Build strong foundations in business readiness, market access, and financial management.

Powerful Toolkits

  • Work through structured toolkits that help you apply learning directly to your business.

Growth Strategy Development

  • Develop a clear 3-Year Growth Plan and a compelling Pitch Deck to map out your next level.

Technical Coaching

  • Receive expert coaching to strengthen your business model, improve systems, and scale sustainably.

Supportive Entrepreneurial Network

  • Connect with a community of like-minded women entrepreneurs across the continent.

⁠Visibility and Recognition

  • Gain the opportunity to graduate and be certified at our prestigious WCW Country Forums

Sustainable Business Building

  • Shift from survival mode to long-term growth – building businesses that create wealth, impact, and jobs.

Module model

  • Course 1:
    Business readiness – it includes personal mastery, leadership, innovation, systems & operational excellence. You will need to complete 2 modules.
  • Course 2:
    Market readiness – it includes marketing, winning markets, sales and negotiations, and value & supply chain. You will need to complete 2 Modules.
  • Course 3:
    Finance readiness – it includes You & Your money, Tracking Your Money; Find & Grow Your Money. You will need to complete 2 modules.
  • Six toolboxes, 3-year growth plan and pitch deck. This is your gateway to Technical Coaching!
Phase Activity Duration Outcome
Week 1 Onboarding Bootcamp + Orientation 1 week Program introduction, expectations, commitment
Week 2-7 Learning Journey 6 weeks Complete 2 modules per course

(2-2-2 model)
Weekly Live Masterclasses 6 sessions Masterclasses held weekly per course, not per module
Weekly Toolkit Submissions After each masterclass Mandatory toolkit submissions for lesson validation
Post-6 Weeks Technical Coaching
(3 months)		 Diagnosis + Coaching Journey Based on completion of 2 modules per course (2-2-2 model)

  • Deadline to apply: 24 June 2025
  • Ignite Program duration: 30 June – 11 August 2025 (online)
  • Technical coaching duration: 11 August – 10 November 2025

  • This program is free of charge to you!
  • Your contribution:
    • Invest/access data to study online and engage in the support facilities and business community.
    • Keep and respect time with for Peer to Peer and Master coaching sessions and other events of the program.
    • Respond to surveys and questionnaires as feedback for programme adaptation and improvement.
    • Interact and engage with fellow program participants to make use of all the opportunities offered to help you succeed.

  • Just 6 – 8 hours per week to commit to your growth, with dedicated support through customized coaching, mentoring and technical advice.
  • Support to develop your toolbox of resources for growth.
  • Access to a vibrant and supportive Business Community.
  • Invitation to regular entrepreneurship networking events and round tables to build social capital.
  • Access to a pool of rated service providers to support growth, access to markets and finance.
  • Certification and a spotlight at our prestigious Country Forum & Certification event.
  • Complete your journey and stand a chance to win free tickets to the WCW Summit 2025.

  • 6-8 hours per week (learning, assignments, masterclass attendance).
  • Mandatory toolkit submission per week.
  • Full participation is required to transition to coaching.

The Challenge

Africa stands as a global leader in female entrepreneurship, with women constituting 58% of the continent’s self-employed population. Despite this, a recent World Bank report, ‘Profiting from Parity’, reveals that women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa face challenges in achieving substantial profits and scaling their businesses. The pivotal role of Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in Africa cannot be overstated; these businesses are vital engines for job creation, economic growth, and poverty reduction. In diverse sectors such as agriculture, technology, and services, SMMEs contribute to skill development and inclusive progress.

Sub-Saharan Africa grapples with low employment rates, particularly among youth, constituting 23.5% of the estimated 38.1% of working poor individuals. Youth entrepreneurship emerges as a potential catalyst for change, fostering employment opportunities and pulling others out of informality and poverty. Collaboration between women entrepreneurs and youth-led entities further enhances job creation and facilitates the expansion of women-owned SMMEs.

The Graça Machel Trust, in partnership with strategic allies, aims to reshape the narrative around African women entrepreneurs, envisioning thriving businesses that generate wealth and employment. Extensive research underscores the transformative impact of money in the hands of women, addressing poverty and inequality. As women amass wealth, they actively contribute to achieving at least six Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty eradication, hunger elimination, health promotion, gender equality, decent work, and economic growth. Through this dedication, the Trust seeks to empower women as catalysts for Africa’s economic and social transformation.

Our Solution

Women Creating Wealth (WCW) is the Trust’s flagship entrepreneurship program designed to build women entrepreneurs’ confidence, skills, and networks to scale their businesses and transition from income generation to wealth and job creation. The program has already impacted 2000 women entrepreneurs in Malawi, Zambia Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal and Uganda.

Our big audacious goal for WCW is to expand it and reach 10,000 businesswomen who are inspired and equipped to create $1 billion (USD) in turnover and 200,000 employment opportunities in 5 years.

We are calling on young and established women entrepreneurs with a vision and ambition to grow their business 10X (times) in the next 5 years and create job opportunities to join our Pan-African Businesswomen Movement!

Frequently asked questions

  • Attach a copy of company registration documents – if you have them.

  • Yes, you can apply if you meet the specified requirements – 1 year in business with a turnover between $ 10,000. and $ 500,000. (USD).
  • And if you are a woman aged 18 and above.

  • Be available for the training and aftercare program.
  • Invest/access data to study online and engage in the support facilities and business community.
  • A willingness to learn, upscale, use technological tools and grow your business through peer support, master coaches and mentors.

  • Building your business to have access to markets and finance with the support of coaches, mentors, business networks and investor readiness linkages.
  • The WCW Foundational program is a 10-month program designed to meet your unique business needs. After successful completion, you will be invited to join the business community.

  • Yes, upon completion of all required assignments and tasks, you will receive a Women Creating Wealth certificate as well as be invited to be part of a vibrant, WCW business community to support your journey of wealth creation.

  • The WCW is firstly a capacity-building initiative, it is also incentive-driven and high-performing, go-getter entrepreneurs will be further recognized with awards of technical assistance services, market access and funding linkages.

  • We target growth sectors that have the potential to create jobs for Africa’s women and youth:
    • Agriculture
    • Tourism
    • Manufacturing and value addition
    • Transport and infrastructure.
    • Information & Communications Technology (ICT)
    • Building and construction
    • Trade and services.
    • Renewable Energy

  • The program is delivered mostly online for entrepreneurs’ convenience.
  • Face-to-face networking sessions at specific points of the program will be provided.

  • No. Applications received past the deadline will not be considered.
  • If you miss the current call – please look out for the next call for application