Apply Now: UNDP ECoWYERT Program 2026 for Women and Youth-led Enterprises
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has opened applications for the Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Programme 2026.
This is an initiative designed to equip young people, women entrepreneurs, traders and businesses with the skills needed to grow and access regional markets.
The programme is being implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB), Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) and Trade and Development Fund (TDF), with activities covering Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
ECoWYERT is designed to help women and youth-led enterprises take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by strengthening their business capacity, improving access to finance and connecting them to regional value chains.
The programme provides practical, market-focused support for participants at different stages of their entrepreneurial and trading journeys, from young people preparing to start businesses to established enterprises seeking to expand across African markets.
Who Can Apply?
Applicants are expected to select the category that best matches their current business, employment or trading status.
New-to-Trade Youth:
This category is open to young women and men aged 16 to 35, including aspiring entrepreneurs, young people not in education, employment or training, and individuals transitioning from education or vocational training into employment or entrepreneurship.
Existing Traders:
This category targets sole traders, rural and peri-urban traders, small-scale cross-border traders and informal businesses seeking to strengthen their operations.
Growing Trade Enterprises:
Micro and small businesses, home-based enterprises and small-scale processors can apply to develop their business planning, financial management, marketing and market-access capabilities.
Scaling Trade Enterprises:
Medium-sized businesses, formal enterprises, aggregators and growth-oriented companies can participate in support focused on export readiness, supply-chain improvement and expansion into regional markets.
What Participants Will Gain
Depending on their category, selected participants will receive training and support covering:
- Entrepreneurship and business-management skills
- Financial literacy and record keeping
- Business planning and growth strategies
- Marketing and customer development
- Digital business and selling tools
- Business formalisation
- Cross-border trade and export readiness
- Understanding regional markets and AfCFTA opportunities
Beyond training, the broader ECoWYERT initiative is designed to strengthen access to appropriate finance and improve the wider ecosystem supporting women and youth-led enterprises. The programme’s financing approach includes grants for some young entrepreneurs, a low-cost revolving fund for small-scale cross-border traders and a dedicated financing facility for young women entrepreneurs.
About the ECoWYERT Programme
ECoWYERT is a five-year regional initiative focused on enabling women and young entrepreneurs to participate more effectively in intra-African trade.
The programme combines capacity building, access to finance, digital inclusion and ecosystem strengthening, with particular attention to young women and enterprises in rural, peri-urban and border communities.
The initiative is expected to help participating enterprises improve productivity, create jobs, access new markets and connect with regional value chains under AfCFTA.
Application Deadline
Applications are ongoing and will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to submit complete and accurate information. Submission does not guarantee selection, and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
How to Apply
Eligible applicants can complete the ECoWYERT application form and select the category that best reflects their current employment, business or trading stage.
Apply Now: UNDP ECoWYERT Programme Application Page
Applicants should carefully review the eligibility requirements before submitting their applications.
