Maggie Thompson
Analyzing the Impact of Media and Access to Financial Services on Women's Economic Empowerment
This summer, I worked in Mozambique with TechnoServe‘s Women in Business (WIN) program, which uses a market systems development approach to help female microentrepreneurs access capital and financial services, challenge social norms, and grow their businesses. WIN works with private sector companies and service providers to pilot new ways of working that are more sustainable for female microentrepreneurs. The program is nearing its end, so I primarily created case studies about the impacts of media and access to financial services on women’s economic empowerment. These case studies share lessons learned and tips for replication, thus multiplying the program’s effects and improving future women’s economic empowerment programs. I also supported a partnership between TechnoServe and Deloitte to conduct a gender scope survey evaluating the landscape for women entrepreneurs in Mozambique’s private sector. It was very valuable to spend the summer learning about how development organizations can work with the private sector to make interventions more sustainable and effective.