Globally, women are disproportionately excluded from formal financial systems, despite being central to household and community economies. This lack of access to credit, savings, and insurance severely limits their ability to start and grow businesses, manage financial shocks, and build a secure future for their families. Traditional microfinance models, while a step forward, often fail to address the unique social, cultural, and logistical barriers that women face. Designing programs that are genuinely women-centric is crucial for unlocking their full economic potential and driving progress towards gender equality and poverty reduction.

This course will provide a strategic and practical guide to designing, implementing, and evaluating microfinance programs specifically tailored for women. You'll learn how to go beyond simply providing loans to building a holistic support system that includes financial literacy training, group-based models, and technology-driven solutions that fit women's lives. By focusing on gender-responsive design, you will be equipped to create and manage programs that not only increase women's access to finance but also contribute to their social empowerment, decision-making power, and overall well-being.

Duration: 5 days

Target Audience:

• Microfinance institution (MFI) staff and managers
• Development and humanitarian aid practitioners
• Gender specialists and consultants
• Social entrepreneurs and startup founders
• Financial inclusion researchers
• Policy and regulatory advisors
• Community-based organization leaders
• Project managers in women's economic empowerment
• Professionals in financial technology (FinTech)

Objectives:

• Understand the socio-economic context and financial needs of women.
• Master the principles of designing gender-responsive financial products.
• Apply a social performance lens to program design and evaluation.
• Understand the strengths and limitations of group lending models.
• Develop effective financial literacy and business training programs for women.
• Grasp the role of technology in overcoming barriers to access.
• Identify and mitigate risks specific to women-centric microfinance.
• Analyze the impact of microfinance on women's empowerment.
• Explore strategies for building an inclusive organizational culture.
• Learn from real-world case studies of successful programs.

Module 1: Gender, Poverty, and Financial Inclusion

• The link between gender inequality and poverty
• The unique financial needs of women
• Barriers to women's access to formal finance
• The business case for investing in women
• The role of microfinance in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Module 2: Human-Centered Design for Women

• Principles of human-centered design (HCD)
• Conducting gender-sensitive user research and ethnography
• Designing products that fit women's daily lives
• Creating a user experience that builds trust and confidence
• Avoiding unconscious bias in product design

Module 3: Women-Centric Product Innovation

• Designing flexible loan products that meet women's needs
• Creating savings products for financial security
• Innovative micro-insurance for women
• Building products for women-owned small and medium enterprises (WSMEs)
• The importance of non-financial services

Module 4: Group Lending & Social Intermediation

• The origins and principles of group lending
• The role of peer support and social collateral
• The benefits and drawbacks of group-based models
• Creating effective group training and meetings
• The evolution from group to individual lending

Module 5: Financial Literacy and Capacity Building

• The importance of financial education for women's empowerment
• Designing a curriculum that is engaging and relevant
• Incorporating business and life skills training
• The "training of trainers" model
• Evaluating the effectiveness of training programs

Module 6: Leveraging Technology for Inclusion

• The digital gender gap in technology access
• Designing mobile financial services for women
• Using mobile payments for loan disbursement and repayment
• The role of digital identity in reaching women
• Case studies of successful FinTech partnerships

Module 7: Social Performance and Impact Measurement

• What is social performance management (SPM)
• Defining and measuring women's empowerment
• Tools for impact assessment
• The importance of a Theory of Change
• Avoiding unintended negative consequences

Module 8: Gender-Sensitive Risk Management

• Understanding risks unique to women-centric programs
• Mitigating risks like over-indebtedness and misuse of funds
• Designing client protection principles for women
• Addressing social and cultural barriers
• The link between empowerment and loan repayment

Module 9: Building an Inclusive Institution

• The importance of a gender-diverse staff and leadership
• Training loan officers on gender-sensitive practices
• Creating a positive and supportive work environment
• Developing a code of ethics for staff
• Fostering a client-centric and gender-aware culture

Module 10: Scaling and Sustainability

• Strategies for scaling women-centric programs
• Balancing financial viability with social mission
• The role of investors and gender-lens investing
• Building sustainable partnerships and networks
• The future of women-centric microfinance

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training.