In a country with low female workforce participation, Visa's She’s Next program is sparking a revolution by supporting women-led businesses. Here’s how five inspiring women are reshaping Pakistan’s economy.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The Vision of She’s Next

In partnership with HBL, Visa's She’s Next program is breaking barriers in Pakistan. Through grants totaling $50,000, mentorship, and networking opportunities, this initiative supports women-owned small businesses. But it’s not just about the money—this program fosters a community that provides training and tools to help female entrepreneurs thrive in the digital economy.

According to Visa’s 2023 Women SMB Digitization Index, the challenges women entrepreneurs face are clear:

  • 61% need help overcoming business obstacles.
  • 54% require guidance in online sales.
  • 98% seek payment-related training.

These statistics underscore the immense potential to empower women entrepreneurs, fueling a more inclusive economy.

Revolutionizing Education: Preparing Pakistan’s Youth for the Future

1⃣ CodeSchool: Making Coding Fun and Accessible

  • Mission: Equip children aged 6–16 with coding skills to solve real-world problems.
  • Impact: Expanded to train teachers from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Vision: Make coding literacy as fundamental as reading and writing.

Co-founder Sadaf Rehman, inspired by her child’s lackluster programming class, designed a curriculum that uses certified local instructors to teach engaging coding lessons.

“The She’s Next grant helped us scale by launching low-cost pilot programs and training non-tech individuals as instructors,” says Rehman.

2⃣ Foster Learning: Closing the Skills Gap

  • Mission: Improve employability through skill-based education.
  • Impact: Graduated 43 entrepreneurs from a flagship program in Southern Punjab.
  • Vision: Digitize education nationwide.

By merging technical training with entrepreneurship, co-founder Hira Javaid is addressing disparities in Pakistan's education system. Foster Learning has even influenced the National Curriculum of Pakistan, mandating free programming education from grade six onward.

Driving Digital Transformation Across Industries

SocialBu: Streamlining Social Media Management

  • Solution: AI-powered platform for managing social accounts.
  • Impact: Reduced costs for small businesses while boosting competitiveness.
  • Future Goals: Launch advanced AI features for content creation and analytics.

“Since we’re bootstrapped, the She’s Next grant was vital for scaling our product and hiring talent,” explains co-founder Ayesha Awan.

Bechlo.pk: Enabling E-commerce for Women

  • Solution: A secure platform for women to buy and sell new or pre-loved products.
  • Impact: Empowered women with financial independence and upskilling opportunities.
  • Vision: Digitize 100,000 female sellers by 2025.

Co-founder Ziana Sakhia recalls, “The grant allowed us to improve user experience and train sellers, helping them transform their businesses.”

Porter Pakistan: Simplifying Travel Planning

  • Solution: Online platform for booking curated travel experiences.
  • Impact: Empowered female decision-makers in the travel sector.
  • Future Goals: Expand reach with innovative features like trip designers.

“The She’s Next funding boosted our content creation and app development,” shares co-founder Rida Zainab.

Beyond Financial Support: The Value of Mentorship and Community

All five grant recipients emphasized the program’s mentorship and networking benefits:

  • Fresh perspectives on finance, marketing, and scalability.
  • Structured support to overcome the isolation of entrepreneurship.
  • Boosted credibility and trust through Visa’s association.

“The She’s Next Club was transformative,” says Rehman. “It connected us with like-minded entrepreneurs and expert mentors.”

Breaking Barriers, Building Futures

Despite challenges like capital access and financial inclusion, these women are driving innovation, creating jobs, and reshaping industries. Programs like She’s Next are unlocking a brighter, more inclusive future for Pakistan’s economy.