WEAVE
Our USAID-funded WEAVE project supported over 12,000 women across Vietnam and Indonesia from 2020 to 2021.
Women Entrepreneurs Amplifying Ventures and Economies (WEAVE) used digital technology to support, empower and bring entrepreneurship skills to over 12,000 women running small and growing businesses in Vietnam and Indonesia.
We delivered the WEAVE project from May 2020 to November 2021. The programme promoted women’s economic empowerment through a three phased “learning journey” tailored to women’s progression within their business’ development: mobile learning app HerVenture, online business management training programme Road to Growth, and online professional mentoring through our Mentoring Women in Business programme. We also piloted our Road to Leadership training programme in both countries.
WEAVE was delivered collaboratively by the Foundation, Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™, and local, in-country implementing partners Kinara (Indonesia) and WISE (Vietnam), with funding from the former Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, with technology and assets developed in partnership with ExxonMobil Foundation. The contract was awarded by the ASEAN-USAID Inclusive Growth in ASEAN through Innovation, Trade, and E-Commerce (ASEAN-USAID IGNITE) program, a USAID-funded activity.
Project delivery
WEAVE was the first initiative by the Foundation to bring together four of the Foundation’s programmes, delivered together in three phases over 17 months:
- Phase 1 — HerVenture, a mobile learning app: 3,900 women entrepreneurs in Indonesia and 8,320 women entrepreneurs in Vietnam began their learning journey by downloading the Foundation’s flagship HerVenture business skills learning app to their mobile phones.
- Phase 2 — Road to Growth is the Foundation’s flagship intensive business management and investment readiness programme for women entrepreneurs. 177 women in Vietnam and 89 women in Indonesia progressed from HerVenture into Road to Growth, training online for seven weeks.
- Phase 3 — Mentoring Women in Business: 60 women in Indonesia and 45 women in Vietnam, identified by their potential and commitment to scaling their business, were paired with a business mentor as part of our flagship Mentoring Women in Business programme. They met their mentor online on a regular basis for six months.
We also developed a new training, Road to Leadership, piloted as a bolt on to Road to Growth, with 67 women in Vietnam and 45 women in Indonesia participating. The training, since evolved into its own programme, strengthens women entrepreneurs’ leadership, influencing and communication skills – critical for them to tackle systematic and cultural barriers within their ecosystems.
Bringing an internationally designed program to a local context required a lot of adaptation and customization, and we were happy to receive timely and valuable support from the Foundation’s team to ensure that the WEAVE trainings are tailored to the Vietnamese context.
WEAVE’s impact
All in all, WEAVE benefitted participants and resulted in increased knowledge, improved business practices, and higher levels of self-confidence and assertiveness. The majority of respondents expressed high levels of satisfaction, willingness to participate in future programmes, and a high rate of recommending the programme to peers.
- 85% of Indonesian survey respondents said their business revenue had increased thanks to WEAVE. 81% increased customers and 78% increased business profits.
- In Vietnam, 73% of women surveyed who had both used HerVenture and took part in Road to Growth said that what they learned had contributed to business growth.
- 62% of Vietnamese survey respondents said their business revenue had increased thanks to WEAVE. 59% increased business profits and 51% increased customers.
- Most participants in both Indonesia (86%) and Vietnam (91%) gained in self-confidence, a crucial component to successful entrepreneurship.
Final project report
Download our full report and fact sheets on the WEAVE project (533.2KB pdf) (533.2KB pdf)
DownloadMeet some of the women supported through WEAVE
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Quynh’s story
Our programmes were transformational for Quynh and her natural beauty product brand, supporting her to realise her dreams of creating a healthier, more sustainable planet.
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Jullie’s story
Jullie took part in all three of our flagship programmes through our WEAVE initiative. Developing her entrepreneurial skills enabled her to take her artisanal food company to the next level.
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Yen’s story
Yen took part in our Mentoring and Road to Growth programmes as well as using our HerVenture app. She gained new knowledge and support to strengthen her business through the pandemic, setting her on her way to achieving huge ambitions.
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