Ignite program: Unleashing the power of entrepreneurs

Pham Phuong Thao arms crossed to camera standing among flower bushes

In partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, CARE's Ignite program unleashed the power of growth-oriented entrepreneurs to contribute to resilient, comprehensive economies.

What did Ignite do?

The Ignite program worked with local financial and support services to help small businesses access funding, technology, and professional networks. The program provided training and skills-strengthening in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam, where many small businesses are ready to grow but lack support.

Interested in partnering with CARE Women Entrepreneurship? Contact us at entrepreneurship@care.org.

 

CARE Ignite x Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth logo lockup

 

CARE's Ignite program

How three female entrepreneurs worked with the Ignite program to grow their businesses around the world.

What did Ignite achieve?

With $5.26m from the Mastercard Impact Fund, Ignite reached 3.9 million entrepreneurs and directly supported 131,000—most of them women. It focused on small and micro-businesses that had been running for at least two years, helping them grow, become more resilient, and improve the financial stability of their owners, their families, and employees.

Want to see how we’re building on this success? Learn more about our ongoing Strive Women program.

The opportunity

Small businesses are the backbone of most economies. They create jobs and reinvest in their local communities. But many of them—especially in developing countries—are stuck in the ‘missing middle.’ They’re too large for microloans yet too small for traditional banks. Globally, there exists a $5 trillion gap in funding for these small businesses.

The Ignite Program set out to change that. It partnered with local organizations to design financial and business services that truly meet the needs of small businesses—especially those led by women.  Despite facing greater barriers, women are proven drivers of economic growth: they reliably repay loans, adopt digital tools quickly, and reinvest in their families and communities. If women had better access to finance, they could unlock $330 billion in annual global revenue.

Core activities

  1. Made financial products and services more accessible and tailored to business needs
  2. Provided essential support like training, mentoring, and digital tools
  3. Ran outreach campaigns to promote digital solutions, raise awareness, and tackle the social and institutional barriers women face

Latest news and resources

5 Principles for Powerful Partnerships: Where Profit meets Social Impact

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Thought Leadership
Glorifying multi-tasking by women entrepreneurs must stop

New research from CARE has revealed a stark truth about women entrepreneurs: Despite some progress, social norms are still keeping women across the globe from reaching their business ambitions.

Ignite Program

In partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, CARE's Ignite program unleashed the power of growth-oriented entrepreneurs to contribute to resilient, inclusive economies.

Thought Leadership
Why putting women in charge of their own financial security pays dividends

Women-centered design acknowledges that women’s needs and the barriers they face are fundamentally different to men.  Barriers might include laws and political systems that disadvantage women, harmful social norms, and limited access to finance due to no credit history or collateral, male guarantor requirements, or restrictions on land ownership.

Education and Skills
Three Steps the Female Digital Revolution Can’t Succeed Without

In 2020, millions of women left the workforce. As the pandemic accelerates the move toward a digital economy, women are at risk of being left behind.

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Testimonials

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Latest videos

What’s holding women entrepreneurs back?

See how CARE’s Ignite program shifted social norms in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam.

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Digital journeys for women entrepreneurs

See how three women entrepreneurs learned digital technologies to scale their businesses.

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Hina – Girls' hostel

Hina runs a girls' hostel in Pakistan and is passionate about what women entrepreneurs can achieve.

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Saeeda Begum - Shining little stars

Saeeda runs a clothing store in Pakistan and explains how she has improved her financial management with CARE’s support.

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Ignite's impact in the field

CARE President and CEO Michelle Nunn gives an update on the process of Ignite in Vietnam, Pakistan, and Peru.

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Jesús and the Ignite project

Through Ignite, Jesús strengthened the women entrepreneurs in the association she leads in Peru, despite COVID-19.

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Mastercard

Mastercard and CARE announced their partnership for the Ignite Program during the Global Inclusive Growth Summit. The $5.26M partnership will reach 3.9 million entrepreneurs and open up much-needed access to finance, technology, and networks and build entrepreneurship capacity and skills.