October 2018 to April 2020

Grant Amount: $100,000

Funded by: USAID

Projects Manager for the AFCHIX USAID’s WomenConnect Challenge Project: Gender-Sensitive Approach to Connect the Unconnected using Community Network Models. Implemented in Morocco, Senegal, Namibia and Kenya

Gender equality and female empowerment are fundamental to the realization of human rights and key to effective and sustainable development. We all can attest to how providing women with opportunities to better their health, education, and well-being have effects far beyond a single individual. A woman multiplies the impact of an investment made in her future by extending benefits to the world around her, creating a better life for her family and building a strong community.

Yet just as digital technology has become an increasingly important tool for financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, education, civil participation, and a lifeline for critical health services and information, women are still behind.

Women entrepreneurs also lack access to markets, market information, digital and personal services, networks, mentorship and other resources that enable them to overcome the obstacles of starting and growing firms as well as connecting with customers.

The AFCHIX Project: “Gender-sensitive approach to connect the unconnected using Community Network Models” aims at building capacities of rural women in underserved communities of Senegal, Morocco, Namibia and Kenya to establish and operate community-based Telecommunications infrastructure and provide connectivity in form internet access.

With support from the Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s WomenConnect Challenge, AFCHIX will help women open up new businesses, establish and maintain sustainable community Internet Networks and access critical information through the internet.

Through this project, we also hope to positively interrupt the gender-related social norms that are negatively affecting the African Societies by building capacities of local women leaders in skills that are often taught only to men, such as businesses and network Engineering. Our local women leaders will inspire young girls to be business owners, community leaders and confident users of digital tools. In the end, this program will not only help women but also enhance the lives of many by improving Internet Connectivity in many regions of rural Africa