Startup life may stop here: Helping women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa

Amr Swid, St. Edward's UniversityFollow
Emily Rukobo, New York Institute of TechnologyFollow
Elizabeth Maro, Kilimanjaro Women Information Exchange and Consultancy OrganizationFollow

Abstract

A great emphasis exists in research on entrepreneurs who start small- to medium-size businesses and who are seizing opportunities outside the corporate world, especially in developing countries like Tanzania. Women entrepreneurs have the highest representation of all entrepreneurs in the Sub-Saharan region. Entrepreneurs everywhere face unique hardships that could determine the fate of their businesses. Women entrepreneurs in the Sub-Saharan region have additional struggles to start and sustain their businesses. The participants in this study were randomly selected from women entrepreneurs who participated in the 2017 NYIT Launch in Moshi, Tanzania. The researchers conducted virtual qualitative interviews and focus groups with 43 women entrepreneurs assembled in the Excel Education Foundation in Moshi, Tanzania. Findings suggest the main reason women entrepreneurs started their businesses was to gain financial freedom from their spouses and to be able to take care of their families. A major implication of this research is understanding the importance of education for women entrepreneurs in the Sub-Saharan region. The research contributes to knowledge of the challenges of women entrepreneurs in developing countries and suggests practical tips and policy recommendations to support women entrepreneurs.

Keywords

entrepreneur challenges, gender equality, developing countries, Tanzania

Chinese Abstract

创业生涯可能就此止步：帮助撒哈拉以南非洲的女性企业家

研究非常重视那些在企业世界以外抓住机遇、创办中小型企业的企业家，尤其在坦桑尼亚等发展中国家。在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，女性企业家是所有企业家中占比最高的。世界各地的企业家都面临可能决定其企业命运的独特困境。在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，女性企业家在创业和维持企业方面则遇到额外的困难。本研究的参与者是从参加在2017年坦桑尼亚莫希市举办的纽约理工学院（NYIT）启动仪式的女性企业家中随机挑选。研究人员对聚集在坦桑尼亚莫希Excel教育基金会的43名女企业家进行了虚拟定性访谈和焦点小组讨论。研究结果表明，女性企业家创业的主要原因是为了从配偶那里获得经济自由，并为能够照顾家庭。这项研究的一个主要意义是了解教育对撒哈拉以南地区女企业家的重要性。该研究有助于了解发展中国家女企业家所面临的挑战，并提出实用的建议和政策议案以支持女企业家。

关键词：企业家的挑战、性别平等、发展中国家、坦桑尼亚

ORCID Identifiers

Amr Swid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0354-0139

Emily Rukobo: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9075-7143

Elizabeth Maro: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1400-7433

DOI

10.5038/2640-6489.8.1.1184

Recommended Citation

Swid, A., Rukobo, E., & Maro, E. (2023). Startup life may stop here: Helping women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Global Business Insights, 8(1), 16-30. https://www.doi.org/10.5038/2640-6489.8.1.1184