As the world becomes more digital, women are being left behind. According to reports from UN Women, the digital gender divide is particularly pronounced in developing regions, where women are 20% less likely than men to be online, and 30% less likely to have access to a smartphone. It is estimated that by 2030, 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will demand digital competencies, making the need to bridge this digital divide an urgent priority for gender equality and women’s economic growth.
Solar Sister empowers women in Africa to become clean energy entrepreneurs, supporting them with training, mentorship, and a trusted product pipeline. The women Solar Sister works with are particularly impacted by the digital gender divide; less than 10% of Solar Sister Entrepreneurs have access to smartphones, and more than 2/3 of those with access share the device with another member of the
household. Digital tools are critical for business success in today’s ever-digitizing world. In 2024 the organization identified digitization as a priority learning area in our Organizational Learning Agenda– In this report you will find an outline of our digitization efforts to date, key learnings from our pilot efforts, and recommendations for the path forward.
