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
1️⃣ 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.
2️⃣ 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.
