Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program 2027
Overview
The Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program 2027 invites young people, entrepreneurs, traders and enterprises that want to strengthen their skills, grow their businesses and explore regional trade opportunities. The training offers practical, market-focused support for participants at different stages, from young people preparing to enter employment or start a business to established enterprises seeking to expand into regional markets.
The programme is led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. It is co-implemented by the COMESA Federation of Women in Business, the Better Than Cash Alliance and the Trade and Development Fund across six countries, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, from 2025 to 2030.
What you get
Depending on their category, participants gain employability, entrepreneurship and business-management skills, financial literacy and record-keeping, business planning and growth strategies, marketing and customer-development skills, digital business and selling tools, business formalisation guidance, cross-border trade and export-readiness skills, and knowledge of regional markets and opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Who can apply
Applicants choose the category that best fits their current stage. New-to-Trade Youth are young women and men aged 16 to 35, including those not in education, employment or training, aspiring entrepreneurs, young people moving from education into work, and those turning farming or other income activities into sustainable businesses. Existing Traders include sole traders, rural and peri-urban traders, small-scale cross-border traders and informal businesses. Growing Trade Enterprises include micro and small businesses, home-based enterprises and small-scale processors. Scaling Trade Enterprises include medium-sized and formal businesses, aggregators and growth-oriented companies, which receive support on export readiness, supply chains and business systems, and expansion across Africa.
How to apply
Applications are received on a rolling basis. Applicants should provide complete and accurate information. Submitting an application does not guarantee selection, and only shortlisted applicants are contacted.