Across many developing markets, women entrepreneurs face invisible but powerful barriers: limited access to affordable credit, financial products not tailored to their realities, and market systems that privilege established, male-led businesses. These systemic obstacles stifle innovation, limit growth, and weaken the economic potential of entire communities.
Agian partnered with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) to address these challenges head-on. Our approach was rooted in market systems development — identifying where the system was failing women, addressing root causes, and creating lasting pathways for inclusion. We began by conducting groundbreaking research that documented the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs and revealed how existing financial products excluded them. From this evidence, we developed policy briefs that clearly outlined both the challenges and potential solutions.
Armed with data and insights, Agian convened multi-stakeholder dialogues that brought together regulators, financial institutions, and women-led business associations. These sessions broke silos, built mutual understanding, and generated momentum for reform. By positioning women entrepreneurs not as beneficiaries but as key market actors, we shifted the conversation from charity to economic necessity.
The results were systemic and far-reaching. Regulators introduced new frameworks that empowered microfinance institutions to design and roll out tailored financial products for women entrepreneurs. This was not just a one-off fix but a structural change in how markets serve women. As a result, thousands of women gained access to credit for the first time, enabling them to expand their businesses, create jobs, and strengthen household resilience.
What began as targeted advocacy evolved into a landmark shift in financial inclusion and market systems. By addressing systemic barriers rather than symptoms, Agian helped reshape an ecosystem — proving that when women gain equitable access to markets and finance, entire economies grow stronger.
