Initiative
Driving female entrepreneurship
About the initiative
Working together for a stronger female entrepreneurship!
In Latin America, the gender gap in access to the financial system is evident across all socioeconomic levels. The disparity is particularly pronounced in micro and small businesses. Even though 50% of these businesses are led by women, comprising 99.5% of the economy, contributing 25% to the region's GDP, and generating 60% of jobs, a significant number operate informally, posing challenges to scaling their businesses.
For this reason, in 2022, Mercado Pago joined forces with Pro Mujer in Hispanic America, and with Aliança Empreendedora and Barkus in Brazil, to boost financial education for female micro-entrepreneurs in the region. These partnerships aim to leverage businesses, generate income, and promote financial autonomy for thousands of women in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay.
How it works
Women who participate in the Emprende Pro Mujer (in Hispanic America) and Agora Vai, Mulher! (in Brazil) programs develop leadership and management skills to manage their finances and sales, as well as incorporate digital tools into their businesses.
Through the Emprende Pro Mujer platform, women have access to a range of courses that last from 2 to 3 months, depending on the stage of the business (pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration). By participating, they become part of a regional network and have access to mentors and live virtual classes to supplement the training.
**Agora Vai, Mulher! **is entirely conducted via ChatBot on WhatsApp. The training covers topics such as negotiation, pricing, finances, digitalization, and much more. Participants have the support of a specialist from Aliança Empreendedora throughout the training.
We promote inclusion and financial education for female entrepreneurs, developing their business and their ability to make dreams come true.
Key results
Over 3160
Women impacted.
64%
Say they have improved their financial skills.
86%
Say they have incorporated financial planning into their businesses.
85%
Have incorporated digital tools for sales.
How to participate
To participate in Pro Mujer, access this site to register.
To participate in Agora Vai, Mulher!, women must be between 25 and 40 years old and have a monthly income of up to R$5 thousand. Selection is made on a first-come, first-served basis through the program's website. For acceleration, entrepreneurs are selected based on their performance throughout the training.
More information
And there's a lot more
