Visa, a global leader in digital payments, is proud to announce the expansion of its She’s Next initiative to Botswana for the first time in 2025. She’s Next is Visa’s global advocacy programme dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs by providing them with funding, training and mentorship opportunities.
Through this initiative, Visa aims to champion the growth and success of women-owned small businesses across Botswana, underscoring its commitment to fostering an inclusive economy where women-led businesses can thrive. The competition is open to all industries where women entrepreneurs operate such as in the tech space, retail, agriculture sector, or services, which adds breadth to the program’s reach.
“We are thrilled to bring the She’s Next programme to Botswana,” said Salome Makau, Country Head of Visa Southern Africa. “Women entrepreneurs are pivotal to economic development and through this initiative, we aim to provide them with the resources and support necessary to elevate their businesses and by extension, their communities.”
The She’s Next programme offers participants a comprehensive support package, including:
- Financial grants: Direct funding to help women entrepreneurs scale their businesses.
- Mentorship: A one-year coaching programme focused on business development, digital transformation and financial management.
- Strategic partnerships: Access to industry leaders and experts for guidance and strategic advice.
This initiative is part of Visa’s broader commitment to invest $1 billion to advance digital transformation in Africa by 2027. In 2023, Visa far surpassed the 2020 goal to digitise 50 million small and micro businesses (SMBs) globally within three years when they officially announced they had digitally enabled 67 million SMBs. The expansion of She’s Next into Botswana signifies a strategic effort to support the increasing number of female entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Visa will be working with local organisations in Botswana that will help implement the She’s Next program.
“Many small businesses in Africa still operate primarily in cash which limits their operational efficiency, security and access to a larger pool of consumers. Digital empowerment will ensure women-owned businesses in Botswana – along with their customers – are not excluded from the digital economy.”
The She’s Next programme has seen remarkable success in other regions. In South Africa, for instance, the 2024 competition recognised innovative women-led businesses across various sectors, awarding significant grants and mentorship opportunities. The overall winner, Mahlatse Mamaila of InoBiodiesel, received a R400,000 (over BWP 300,000) grant to advance her green energy solutions.
With the inclusion of Botswana, the global initiative will take place across several Sub-Saharan markets this year including South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Côte d’Ivoire. Applications for She’s Next Botswana will officially open in April 2025, and female entrepreneurs from all industries are encouraged to apply.
