Women’s Entrepreneurship

Boosting Inclusive Ecotourism Investment in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains

Cardamom Mountains, CambodiaThe Kingdom of Cambodia is endowed with tremendous natural capital assets. In addition to their importance for climate mitigation, these rich and diverse natural resources and related environmental services have been key drivers of the country’s economic growth. At the same time, (1) these assets are at risk of serious degradation due to unmanaged development, (2) economic benefits are not accruing equitably to local communities, and (3) the relationship between these assets and business development (dependencies) is not well understood.

A significant proportion of this natural capital is found in protected areas in the Cardamom Mountains, home to a diverse rural population. There is a major untapped opportunity to make these protected areas accessible to a growing local and global market for ecotourism experiences and attractions through inclusive ecotourism investment in Cambodia. If planned and implemented well, ecotourism will contribute to the long-term sustainability of these natural assets and the wellbeing of protected area residents and gateway communities. Ecotourism is also ideally situated to help drive Cambodia’s post-pandemic tourism recovery, as global trends indicate many tourists are more likely to be attracted to uncrowded and natural areas.

Employing a Human-Centered Design approach, Emerging360 in collaboration with Solimar International supported the Cambodian Ministry of Environment within the “Cambodia Sustainable Landscape & Ecotourism Project (CSLEP)” to formulate a five-year Regional Ecotourism Development Plan for the Cardamom Mountains (2022 – 2027). As part of the year-long assignment, Emerging360 developed robust visions for three priority ecotourism destinations in order to stimulate private sector investment, and we designed US$33 million worth of public sector infrastructure development investment recommendations, to be implemented through World Bank financing.  Read more

Building the Capacity of Women Entrepreneurs in Vietnam through Mobile Micro-Learning

HerVenture Mobile App ScreenshotsThanks to support from Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™, the HerVenture mobile micro-learning app for women entrepreneurs is now available in Vietnam. Emerging360 designed and developed the new mobile learning app in collaboration with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. And the platform is already helping to build the capacity of women entrepreneurs in emerging markets. Indeed, users are starting and growing more sustainable businesses.

The Android app includes a range of features to help build the capacity of women entrepreneurs through mobile micro-learning: Read more

Promoting Women’s Entrepreneurship in Mexico Through Blended Learning

Road to Women's Business Growth Mexico

Road to Women’s Business Growth

The Road to Women’s Business Growth training program is a collaborative venture developed by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women with support from the ExxonMobil Foundation. Through “Road to Growth,” we are focusing on promoting women’s entrepreneurship in Mexico by building the business skills and financial literacy of women business owners. Emerging360 designed and developed the Road to Growth platform, piloting it in Nigeria in 2016 with great results. This year, in collaboration with local partner BEDU, we refined the platform for Mexico.

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Value Chain Strategy: Inclusive Economic Growth on the Buddhist Circuit

Stupa at Sanchi, Buddhist Circuit, India

Inclusive Economic Growth and the Buddhist Circuit

The World Bank has selected Emerging360 to develop a strategy for facilitating inclusive economic growth and women’s participation in the tourism sector along the Buddhist Circuit in India, and South Asia more broadly.

South Asia’s remarkable heritage, as a source of livelihood and identity, represents a previously untapped engine of inclusive economic development and job creation. Investing in tourism in general, and Buddhist heritage tourism in particular, provides a unique opportunity to unlock the region’s heritage assets for the development of some of the poorest communities, who reside in and around the sites.

As part of the broader World Bank support to selected South Asian governments in inclusive tourism development along the region’s Buddhist Circuit, Emerging360 is researching constraints to women’s participation in key locations along the circuit. We’ll ultimately be developing a suite of actionable recommendations for improved and inclusive economic development across the region, with a focus on opportunities for women, youth, and the poor.

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Honoring Women-Owned Businesses in Africa

Woman-Owned SMEs in NigeriaThis International Women’s Day Emerging360 is celebrating women-owned businesses in Africa.

We’re proud to be partnering with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, ExxonMobil Foundation, the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, and Diamond Bank on the Road to Women’s Business Growth initiative.

In fact, Cherie Blair is in Nigeria to host a special event for our project, along with 250 of the 500 women entrepreneurs who are graduating from the first phase.

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