An Evidence-based Report Series on Women’s Economic Empowerment

CGD’s research on an innovative pilot study providing mobile savings tools and business skills training to women entrepreneurs in two countries: Indonesia and Tanzania

Women face obstacles related to their gender that impair their economic performance. Despite this, evidence shows that women, compared to men, have a clear preference for savings. Mobile savings especially hold great promise for empowering women entrepreneurs by addressing their knowledge, mobility, time, and safety constraints. CGD’s innovative pilot study tests the impact of mobile savings and business training on the growth of women’s businesses and their income in Indonesia and Tanzania. The intervention promotes uptake of mobile financial services by increasing both the supply of services (through incentivizing bank agents to enroll more women in Indonesia) and the demand for services (through providing training to women entrepreneurs on the benefits of mobile savings in Indonesia and Tanzania).

The Report Series presents summary findings and policy implications of the rigorous research which feeds into She Counts, a global platform created in partnership with Women’s World Banking and the ExxonMobil Foundation, that promotes the power of putting asset-building tools and resources in the hands of women business owners.

For more information, visit shecounts.com