• Two-year initiative targets women-led SMEs in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda’s green sectors.
• Program to deliver training, coaching and easier access to financing for four cohorts of entrepreneurs.
• Aims to tackle climate change and gender gaps in employment through sustainable businesses.

In response to the challenges of climate change and high unemployment among women in East Africa, a partnership between the banking sector and international cooperation seeks to develop sustainable entrepreneurship, generating green jobs for the region's women.

Stanbic Bank has partnered with Germany’s development agency GIZ to roll out a program aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs in East Africa’s green economy, the two organisations said on Wednesday, July 2.

The two-year initiative, titled Promoting Green Businesses and Jobs for the Green Transformation, will help four cohorts of women-led small and medium enterprises across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Participants will receive management training, tailored coaching, and easier access to financing through Stanbic’s incubators.

The program focuses on sectors seen as key to building sustainable livelihoods, including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, the circular economy, ecotourism, and blue economy activities.

“Women are often more exposed to unemployment and have less access to finance. This partnership aims to address both economic inclusion and the climate crisis,” Stanbic said in a statement, citing International Labour Organization data showing female labour participation in East Africa lags behind men, with rates between 67% and 84%.

The partnership builds on Stanbic’s broader “Women, Youth, and Farmers” agenda and GIZ’s development work across the continent. By supporting green SMEs in critical early stages, the organisations hope to create lasting jobs and empower women economically.

Success will depend on reaching a diverse range of women, particularly in rural areas with limited financial services, officials said. Rigorous monitoring of participants and measuring job creation outcomes will be crucial.

Other regional initiatives, such as those run by the UN Development Programme and the Alliance for Rural Electrification, have shown that combining training, funding and mentoring can accelerate sustainable entrepreneurship.

To scale impact, Stanbic and GIZ said stronger coordination between public and private partners is needed, along with expanded financing options to help green businesses grow and drive a more inclusive economy.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien H. Lokossou (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho