International humanitarian organisation CARE has announced that women entrepreneurs across Pakistan, Peru and Vietnam have accessed US$1 billion in credit through Strive Women, a Mastercard-supported initiative designed to improve financial inclusion and strengthen micro and small businesses.
Announced on 10 November 2026, the milestone reflects efforts by participating banks, microfinance institutions and cooperatives to redesign financial products around the needs of women entrepreneurs, addressing barriers that have historically restricted their access to business financing.
The programme, launched in 2023, is led by CARE and supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. It works with financial institutions to develop more accessible lending products while providing entrepreneurs with digital skills, business training, mentorship and professional networks.
Although women entrepreneurs accounted for US$1 billion in credit accessed through the initiative, the redesigned financial products also benefited male entrepreneurs, bringing total credit delivered to US$1.2 billion.
Access to finance remains a major challenge for women-owned businesses in emerging and developing economies. According to figures cited by CARE from the International Finance Corporation and SME Finance Forum, women-owned small businesses face an estimated US$1.9 trillion financing gap.
Traditional lending requirements, including property collateral, male guarantors and formal credit histories, can prevent women from obtaining the financing necessary to expand their businesses.
Strive Women has worked with financial institutions to address these challenges through alternative collateral arrangements, flexible repayment schedules, digital loan applications and, in certain cases, reduced interest rates.
Commenting on the milestone, Michelle Nunn, President and Chief Executive Officer of CARE, said the achievement demonstrated the commercial potential of women entrepreneurs when financial institutions removed unnecessary barriers to lending.
Nunn emphasised that the milestone should encourage more banks and lenders to adopt financial products designed around women’s business needs.
In Vietnam, VPBank introduced its WE Leverage Package, increasing credit limits on unsecured loans and credit cards by 20 per cent to help women entrepreneurs access additional financing without traditional collateral.
Thanh Hoa Microfinance Institution has also introduced repayment schedules aligned with business cycles and a loan disbursement process that can provide financing within 24 hours.
In Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank is piloting a staff incentive programme developed with Strive Women to encourage branch teams to increase lending to women entrepreneurs.
In Peru, Caja Cusco has reduced interest rates on its Emprende Mujer loan product and is preparing to introduce digital loan disbursements through its Wayki mobile application.
These developments demonstrate how relatively targeted changes to financial services can improve access to capital for entrepreneurs who may otherwise struggle to meet conventional lending requirements.
Shamina Singh, President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, highlighted the practical impact of financing on small businesses, including the ability to open new premises, purchase stock ahead of busy trading periods and recruit additional employees.
Beyond credit access, Strive Women has directly supported 575,636 entrepreneurs through financial products, including savings and insurance, alongside digital skills development, business training, mentorship and peer networks.
The programme also addresses social and structural barriers that affect women’s ability to operate and grow businesses.
In Vietnam, a public awareness campaign encouraging families to share household responsibilities reached more than 1.3 million people, highlighting the impact of unpaid domestic work on women’s entrepreneurial opportunities.
Across Pakistan, Peru and Vietnam, Strive Women’s public communications campaigns have reached more than 5.8 million entrepreneurs.
The four-year initiative, which runs until 2027, aims to strengthen the financial health and resilience of women-led businesses by connecting entrepreneurs with affordable capital, digital solutions and business networks.
CARE is also making its programme resources available through the Strive Women Playbook, enabling other financial institutions to adopt approaches developed through the initiative.
The US$1 billion milestone highlights the growing importance of financial products designed around the needs of women entrepreneurs, particularly in markets where access to formal business financing remains limited.
By combining lending reforms with practical business support, CARE and Mastercard aim to create more sustainable opportunities for women-owned enterprises and strengthen their contribution to local economies.
