The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is inviting applications for the Enhancing Capacities of Women and Youth-led Enterprises for Regional Trade (ECoWYERT) Program 2026, a training and enterprise development initiative designed to help young people, entrepreneurs, traders, and businesses build the skills needed to participate in regional trade. The programme is being implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB), the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA), and the Trade and Development Fund (TDF). ECoWYERT runs across Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, over a five-year period from 2025 to 2030.
Eligible Countries
Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Nigeria is not included.
Who Can Apply (Four Categories)
- New-to-Trade Youth: Young women and men aged 16-35 who are not in education, employment, or training, aspiring entrepreneurs, those moving from education or vocational training into work or business, or those turning farming or other income-generating activities into sustainable businesses.
- Existing Traders: Sole traders, rural and peri-urban traders, small-scale cross-border traders, informal businesses.
- Growing Trade Enterprises: Micro businesses, small businesses, home-based enterprises, small-scale processors.
- Scaling Trade Enterprises: Medium-sized businesses, formal enterprises, aggregators, growth-oriented businesses.
What Participants Will Gain
Depending on the category, training in entrepreneurship, employability skills, financial literacy and record keeping, business planning, marketing, digital business tools, business formalisation, cross-border trade, export readiness, regional market opportunities, and opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
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Programme Scale
The programme is expected to reach about 28,300 businesses and contribute to access to approximately 125,000 jobs across its six focus countries.
How to Apply
Complete the ECoWYERT application form, selecting the category that best describes your current employment, business, or trade stage, through the UNDP ECoWYERT application portal. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submitting an application does not guarantee selection, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Disclaimer
Edfrica shares opportunities for informational purposes only. Results and outcomes are not guaranteed.
