Mastercard has introduced two female-led initiatives, named ‘ImpactHer and EmpowerHer,’ in collaboration with Women Choice to bolster investment and assistance for women entrepreneurs, aiming to foster business growth and job creation across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.
Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President of Market Development for Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) at Mastercard, highlighted the company’s commitment to providing women with access to digital tools and training to facilitate business establishment and expansion. She emphasized Mastercard’s focus on creating mentorship and networking platforms, as well as collaborating with employers to enhance job opportunities for women.
Ajmal expressed Mastercard’s dedication to building a more inclusive and equitable world, where everyone has the chance to thrive. She emphasized that the extended partnership with Women Choice would significantly benefit women in the workplace and empower women entrepreneurs to drive economic growth in the region.
The collaboration with Women Choice reinforces Mastercard’s commitment to empowering female-led businesses and aims to provide 1 million employment opportunities for women by 2030. Nezha Alaoui, Founder/CEO of Women Choice, highlighted that the programs would offer comprehensive support through training and mentorship for women entrepreneurs, facilitating job creation for other women in various sectors.
Alaoui emphasized the importance of improving the situation of women in the workplace and supporting women-led businesses to foster economic growth in the MEA region. She revealed that globally, 15,000 women are part of the Women Choice network, having participated in over 100 accelerator programs and conferences organized in recent years.
Women Choice, an international organization dedicated to advancing women’s personal and professional development, launched the pilot cohort in 2023. The upcoming cohorts will participate in the new programs this year, aiming to impact 50,000 women positively.
