Apply for SheConnects Digital Accelerator – Round 2 (Partnerships for Women’s Digital Empowerment at Scale)

Application Deadline: Opens on May 20th. Apply early.

About the Accelerator

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator Africa is a transformative initiative dedicated to advancing gender equality by expanding women’s and girls’ participation in the digital economy. Its primary goal is to scale proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls across the continent to access, engage with, and benefit from digital technologies. By doing so, the Accelerator aims to empower women and girls to improve their lives, increase economic opportunities, and foster social inclusion. This innovative program focuses on catalyzing strategic partnerships and developing practical use cases within Sub-Saharan Africa. Through collaborative efforts with local stakeholders, policymakers, private sector actors, and civil society organizations, the Accelerator seeks to identify, support, and expand initiatives that demonstrate tangible results in closing the digital gender gap. A core element of the SheConnects Digital Accelerator is its commitment to strengthening the evidence base around what works in promoting digital inclusion for women and girls. By systematically documenting successful approaches and lessons learned, the Accelerator helps inform policy and program design, ensuring scalable and sustainable impact. The Accelerator promotes south-to-south learning, encouraging knowledge exchange and collaboration among countries within the region. This approach fosters shared experiences, accelerates innovation, and helps develop contextually relevant solutions that address local barriers to digital participation. The initiative also plays a vital role in shaping a more inclusive global digital ecosystem by advocating for policies and practices that support gender equality in digital access and usage. Its work aligns with broader efforts to create a digital environment where women and girls are active, influential, and protected participants. The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa is managed by CARE and the GSMA Foundation, two leading organizations with extensive experience in development and digital innovation. The program receives strategic support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which shares its vision of harnessing digital technology to empower women and girls across Africa. The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa represents a powerful movement to harness the potential of digital technology for gender equality, economic growth, and social inclusion, ensuring that women and girls are not left behind in the digital age.

Round 1

In Round 1, CARE has partnered with four African organizations to advance meaningful digital adoption and use of the internet for women strengthening lives and livelihoods while influencing digital ecosystems through evidence and learning.

Round 2: Apply Now

Round 2 of the Accelerator opens on May 20th, with a focus on Partnerships for Women’s Digital Empowerment at Scale.

Why This Accelerator Matters

The digital divide remains a persistent barrier to women’s economic empowerment and social inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women are less likely than men to own mobile phones, access the internet, or use digital financial services. This gap limits women’s access to information, markets, education, and health services, and excludes them from the growing digital economy.

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator addresses this gap by:

• Scaling proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls to participate fully in the digital world
• Catalysing innovative partnerships and use cases in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Strengthening evidence on what works for women’s digital empowerment
• Fostering south-to-south learning among African organizations
• Shaping a more inclusive global digital ecosystem
• Focusing on partnerships for women’s digital empowerment at scale in Round 2

For African organizations working on women’s digital inclusion, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator offers a platform to scale proven solutions, build partnerships, and contribute to a more inclusive digital future.

How to Apply

Application Link: Click here to apply now

For More Information: Visit the Official SheConnects Digital Accelerator Page