November 10, 2026, Atlanta, Ga. – Today, CARE announced that women entrepreneurs in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam have accessed $1 billion in credit through Strive Women, a Mastercard Strive program led by CARE. Partner banks, microfinance institutions, and cooperatives delivered the capital after working with CARE to redesign their products around the needs of women-led small businesses. Men entrepreneurs also benefitted from these products, bringing the total credit delivered through the program to $1.2 billion.
Women-owned small businesses in emerging and developing economies face a $1.9 trillion financing gap, according to the IFC and SME Finance Forum. Many lenders still require collateral, a male guarantor, or a formal credit history that women often don’t have. Since 2023, Strive Women has worked with financial institutions to remove these barriers. The changes include alternatives to traditional collateral, flexible repayment, digital loan processes, and, in some cases, lower interest rates.
“For too long, women entrepreneurs have been treated as a risk instead of an opportunity. This $1 billion proves what we have always known: when financial institutions remove barriers like collateral and male guarantor requirements, women borrow, repay, and build businesses that last. This milestone is not a finish line. We invite every bank and lender to design with women and make this the standard,” said Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of CARE.
In Vietnam, commercial bank VPBank’s WE Leverage Package raised credit limits on unsecured loans and credit cards by 20%, so women without collateral can borrow more. Thanh Hoa Microfinance Institution now lets women choose repayment terms that match their business cycles and disburses loans within 24 hours. In Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank is piloting staff incentives, designed with Strive Women, that reward branch teams for lending to women entrepreneurs. In Peru, Caja Cusco, a municipal savings and loan institution, lowered the interest rate on its Emprende Mujer loan and is preparing digital disbursement through its Wayki app.
“A billion dollars is a big number, but what really matters is what that capital makes possible for women entrepreneurs. These loans can help small business owners open a new storefront, get supplies ahead of a busy season or bring on new staff. Through Strive Women and with CARE, we’re pairing access to finance with practical tools, skills and networks that can help women build more resilient businesses. This milestone shows what’s possible when we design for what entrepreneurs need. Now we need more partners to join us in turning what works into what’s possible at scale,” said Shamina Singh, president of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.
Credit is only one part of the Strive Women program. To date, it has directly supported 575,636 entrepreneurs with tailored financial products, including savings and insurance, as well as digital skills, business training, mentorship, and peer networks to strengthen their financial health. The program also runs public communications campaigns, online and in traditional media, that inform women about relevant financial services and recognize barriers for women-led small businesses. In Vietnam, a campaign encouraging families to share housework, so women have more time for their businesses, reached more than 1.3 million people. Across the three countries, these campaigns have reached more than 5.8 million entrepreneurs.
Strive Women, a Mastercard Strive program, is an initiative developed by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth that connects small businesses with the three things they need to grow and thrive: digital solutions, affordable capital and networks. Strive Women runs through 2027. CARE shares the program’s tools for free through the Strive Women Playbook, so any financial institution can design better products for women entrepreneurs.
About Strive Women
Strive Women, a four-year program led by CARE, is part of Mastercard Strive, a portfolio of philanthropic small business programs supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. It strengthens the financial health of women-led small businesses in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam. Strive Women applies a Women-Centered Design (WCD) approach to deliver tailored financial products and support services, such as digital skills building and strengthen the financial health of entrepreneurs through a combination of tailored 1) financial products, and 2) support services, such as digital skills building and mentorship programs. To date, Strive Women has, through its financial service provider partners, delivered $1 billion in credit capital to women entrepreneurs.
About the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. The Center leverages the company’s core assets and competencies, including data insights, expertise, and technology, while administering the philanthropic Mastercard Impact Fund, to produce independent research, scale global programs, and empower a community of thinkers, leaders, and doers on the front lines of inclusive growth. For more information and to receive its latest insights, follow the Center on LinkedIn, Instagram and subscribe to its newsletter.
About CARE
Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE PACKAGE® box, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls. Equipped with the proper resources, women and girls have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. In 2025, CARE worked in 121 countries, reaching 58.7 million people through 1,467 projects. To learn more, visit www.care.org.
For media inquiries, email usa.media@care.org.