DO, in Partnership with the World Bank, to Train 600 Women-Led Businesses in Abuja on Affirmative Procurement
DO, in Partnership with the World Bank, to Train 600 Women-Led Businesses in Abuja on Affirmative Procurement
DO Take Action, a leading non-profit startup dedicated to mobilizing sustainable development across Africa, in partnership with the World Bank and Young Professional Programme (YPP), officially launched the Scaling Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Affirmative Procurement Reforms (SWEEP) training program on July 16, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria. This initiative follows a comprehensive needs assessment that revealed the significant challenges faced by women-owned and women-led businesses (WOLBs) in Nigeria, particularly in accessing public procurement opportunities.
Despite women owning 40% of businesses in Nigeria, they remain underrepresented in public procurement. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, public procurement represents a considerable portion of the country’s GDP—between 10-25%—and accounts for up to 50% of government expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa. However, women-led businesses continue to receive a disproportionately small share of these contracts, highlighting a significant barrier to women’s economic equality in Nigeria.
The SWEEP program aims to address this gap by implementing affirmative procurement policies that foster gender equality and empower women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The program’s focus is on building the capacity of WOLBs in Abuja to access procurement processes while increasing awareness among the private sector about the importance of gender-responsive procurement practices. Additionally, it seeks to enhance public institutions' capacity to implement these policies effectively.
The SWEEP initiative will deliver targeted training on business skills, financial management, and procurement procedures, equipping women entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools needed to participate in larger-scale economic activities. An essential aspect of the program is supporting the formalization and registration of women-led businesses, enabling their full engagement in public procurement.
Key objectives of the program include:
- Strengthening the capacity of women-led businesses to access procurement opportunities.
- Raising awareness among private sector leadership about gender-responsive procurement policies and practices.
- Enhancing the capacity of public institutions to implement affirmative procurement policies through evidence-based dialogues and on-the-job training.
Expected Outcomes
Through SWEEP, women-led businesses will have increased opportunities to access procurement contracts, enhancing their visibility and fostering broader positive impacts on economic empowerment, child health, education, poverty alleviation, and the reduction of gender-based violence. The initiative also aims to advocate for the adoption of these best practices across Nigeria and within the World Bank, contributing to a more equitable and inclusive economic environment for women entrepreneurs.
The program is set to directly benefit over 600 women-led businesses across three cohorts. The pilot training phase begins on November 1, 2024, and registration is currently open. Women entrepreneurs in Abuja are encouraged to register now and join the first cohort.
Program Details for Cohort 1:
Program Starts: November 1, 2024
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Who Can Apply: Women-owned and Women-led businesses in Abuja
Duration: 1 month
Mode of Learning: Hybrid (In-person and Online)
Speaking on the initiative, Precious Ebere, Co-Founder of DO Take Action, stated:
“The SWEEP program is designed to increase the participation of women’s small and medium-sized enterprises (WSMEs) in public procurement. Our Theory of Change emphasizes that by enhancing the capacity of WOLBs through targeted training, advocating for gender-responsive procurement policies, and improving access to financial and digital resources, women entrepreneurs will be better equipped to compete in both public and private procurement markets. This will lead to increased contract awards and business growth, empowering women-led businesses and advancing gender equality in the business sector. SWEEP aligns with the World Bank’s economic development plan and will contribute to a more dynamic and inclusive economic environment in Abuja.”
About DO Take Action
DO Take Action is a non-profit startup on a mission to build a critical mass of 1 billion+ people, taking personal and collective action for a better future for Africa and the world, one action and one community at a time. We inspire, empower, and mobilize action for sustainable development.
Learn more at www.dotakeaction.org.
About the World Bank
The World Bank is an international development organization owned by 187 countries, dedicated to reducing poverty by lending money to governments to improve their economies and elevate the standard of living for their citizens.
Learn more at www.worldbank.org.
Scaling Women's Economic Empowerment Through Affirmative Procurement Training
Unlock Your Business Potential with SWEEP: A Pathway for Women Entrepreneurs
Are you a woman entrepreneur eager to elevate your business and tap into new markets? Look no further! The SWEEP program (Scaling Women's Economic Empowerment through Affirmative Procurement) is here to empower you, in collaboration with the World Bank. This initiative is designed specifically for women-owned businesses, providing essential tools and support to help you succeed.
What is SWEEP?
SWEEP aims to bridge the gap for women entrepreneurs by offering specialized training, mentorship, and resources. Our goal is to equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to win procurement contracts and scale your operations effectively. Whether you’re just starting or are poised for expansion, SWEEP opens doors to real opportunities for growth.
Why Join SWEEP?
- Tailored Training: Our program provides in-depth training modules that cover critical aspects of procurement and business management. You will learn about navigating the procurement landscape and how to position your business for success.
- Mentorship Opportunities: Connect with industry experts who will guide you through the challenges of running a business. Our mentors bring a wealth of experience and insights to help you make informed decisions.
- Access to Resources: Gain access to valuable resources, including networking events, workshops, and tools that can aid in your business development.
- Community Support: Become part of a vibrant community of women entrepreneurs. Share experiences, collaborate, and support one another in your entrepreneurial journeys.
Transform Your Business and Make a Difference
Don’t miss this chance to transform your business and contribute to a global movement for women’s economic empowerment. By joining SWEEP, you’ll not only enhance your business capabilities but also play a part in inspiring and uplifting other women in the community.
Ready to Take the Next Step?Women entrepreneurs training
If you're ready to unlock your business potential and access new markets, register now to join SWEEP!
Visit SWEEP Registration and take the first step toward a brighter future for your business.
Women Economic Empowerment Through Affirmative Procurement(WEEAP) Cohort 2024
Women Economic Empowerment Through Affirmative Procurement(WEEAP) Cohort 2024
Call For Application‼️‼️
Are you ready to transform your business? Nominate yourself or another woman entreprenuer for the 5th cohort of the Affirmative Procurement Training (WEEAP) program!
Benefits
-Learn vital procurement skills
-Connect with top companies
-Expand your business network
-Increase contract opportunities
Previous participants have secured major deals and entered new markets. Don't miss this chance to be part of a program that's changing the game for women in business.
Seize the opportunity now Sign up and Nominate a women-led business at:
Registeration:https://airtable.com/appqP5lukLGM3tunw/shrQrVtK0yLS4WiaB
Join us in shaping a more inclusive business world. Act now – your future success awaits!
African Development Bank-Japan Africa Dream Scholarship 2024/2025
About the Scholarship
This scholarship is open to applicants from African Development Bank member countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying to a graduate degree program in energy development and related disciplines.
Eligibility Requirements
- 1.Be a national of an AfDB member country
- 2.Be 35 years old or less
- 3.Have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) in energy, agriculture, health environmental sustainability, engineering studies or related areas with excellent academic records, relevant professional experience and a history of supporting your country's development efforts
- 4.Have at least 1 year of paid employment in your home country or in other African countries after receiving your Bachelor's (or equivalent degree) within the past 3 years
- 5.Not be living or working outside of your home country
- 6.Not already be enrolled in a graduate degree program
- 7.Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of all types of appointments of the African Development Bank Group or a close relative of the aforementioned by blood or adoption with the term "close relative" defined as: Mother, Father, Sister, Half-sister, Brother, Half-brother, Son, Daughter, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, or Nephew
- 8.Agree to return to your home country to contribute to its economic and social development after completion of studies under the program
Award
- Full tuition
- 140,000 JPY per month for living expenses (amount subject to change)
- Economy class air travel between the home country and APU at the beginning and end of the program
Application and Selection Process
- 1.Request to be considered for this scholarship within the APU Online Application and submit the application by September 16, 2024 (for April 2025 enrollment) or January 10, 2025 (for September 2025 enrollment). No application form or additional documents are required to be considered for this scholarship.
- 2.APU reviews application documents and selects suitable candidates to recommend to the AfDB-JADS.
- 3.Applicants selected to be recommended for this scholarship are notified with their final APU application results.
- 4.The final scholarship award results are decided by AfDB-JADS.
Website
Japan Africa Dream Scholarship (JADS) Program
Vice Chancellor's International Excellence Scholarship 2024/2025
About
Applications for study in C Trimester 2024 or in 2025 can be submitted at any time.
The University welcomes applications for the Vice Chancellor's International Excellence Scholarship from international students who are new to studying at the University of Waikato, and who will be coming to study here for face-to-face study in C Trimester 2024 or in 2025.
Students who study online with the University are not eligible to apply for the Vice-Chancellor's International Excellence Scholarship.
We look forward to welcoming you to the University of Waikato.
Eligibility
This Scholarship is intended to support talented international students who are enrolling for the first time into undergraduate or postgraduate programmes at the University of Waikato. The Scholarships have a value of up to NZD$15,000, and will be awarded to successful applicants who demonstrate excellent academic achievement.
How to Apply
-
Read the guidelines
Please ensure you read the regulations before you commence the application process.
-
If you are new, complete an application to enrol
You will need to do this BEFORE you can have access to apply for Scholarships and Awards.
-
Apply using MyWaikato
Once you have an account, log into MyWaikato and click on the ‘Scholarships’ tab to see the list of available scholarships
Chevening LSE Fellowship 2025/2026
Programme structure
The Chevening LSE Fellowship allows successful applicants to spend up either three, six or nine months working on a defined research project at LSE. Fellows are hosted in a department, institute or centre at LSE in line with their research interests and are assigned an adviser.
During their time at the LSE, fellows are expected to work on their research and complete a paper, which is then presented at LSE at the end of the period covered by the fellowship. Where relevant and available, fellows are also permitted to audit lectures (at the teacher’s permission) and participate in appropriate seminars and discussion groups at LSE.
Applications are open across the social sciences with a particular emphasis on international relations, public policy and administration, public diplomacy, social, economic and environment policy and development issues and require a research proposal.
Eligibility
- Agree to adhere to all relevant guidelines and expectations for the programme.
- Be a citizen of China, currently live in the country, and intend to return to China at the end of the period of study.
- Hold a postgraduate (PG) level qualification (or equivalent professional training or experience in a relevant area) at the time of application.
- Obtained significant and meaningful professional experience of 5+ years of employment, or currently enrolled PhD candidate (PhD must not be with a UK/EU or USA university);
- Not hold dual nationality where one nationality is British (other than for nationals exempt from this requirement listed in the Chevening Guidance for Applicants);
- Not be an employee, a former employee, or relative* of an employee of His Majesty’s Government, or have been within the last two years from the opening of Chevening applications (including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, all British Embassies/High Commissions, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade and the UKVI), the British Council, a sponsoring UK university, or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
Applications are open
Apply for the Chevening LSE Fellowship today!
TWAS Fellowships for Research and Advanced Training 2024/2025
TWAS offers fellowships to young scientists in developing countries to enable them to spend three to 12 months at a research institution in a developing country other than their own. The purpose of these fellowships is to enhance the research capacity of promising scientists, especially those at the beginning of their research career, helping them to foster links for further collaboration.
Eligibility
- The fellowships are for research and advanced training. They are offered to young scientists holding at least an MSc or equivalent degree.
- Eligible applicants for the fellowships are young scientists working in any area of natural sciences who are citizens of a developing country and are employed by a research institution in a developing country.
- There is no age limit. However, preference is given to young scientists at the beginning of their research career and those working in Least Developed Countries.
- Lists of possible host institutions divided by field are available here. These lists are only a suggestion and institutions that are not included are acceptable as long as they are in a developing country.
- Institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China, are not eligible host institutions under this programme. Applicants interested in conducting a fellowship in China are required to check whether their chosen host is a CAS institute. For a complete list of CAS institutes, see: english.cas.cn/institutes/. Applicants wishing to attend a CAS institute should either apply to the CAS-TWAS President’s Postgraduate Fellowship Programme or consider the CAS Fellowships for Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholars from Developing Countries (http://english.cas.cn/cooperation/fellowships/201503/t20150313_145274.shtml).
IMPORTANT
- Note that the Fellowships are provided for South-South visits only, i.e. for visits by researchers from developing countries to institutions in other developing countries.
- Please be advised that applicants may apply for only one programme per calendar year in the TWAS and OWSD portfolio. Applicants will not be eligible to visit another institution in that year under the TWAS Visiting Professor programmes. One exception: the head of an institution who invites an external scholar to share his/her expertise under the TWAS Visiting Professor programmes may still apply for another programme.
Please be sure to understand the eligibility criteria and other key requirements that are also specified in the online application form .
Foreign Affairs IT Fellowship 2025.
The Foreign Affairs IT Fellowship is an Opportunity of a Lifetime
If you want to use your tech skills to make a difference, see the world, and experience different cultures, the Foreign Affairs Information Technology (FAIT) Fellowship is an opportunity of a lifetime.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, this two-year Fellowship program is a path to a career in the Foreign Service by providing academic funding for an IT-related degree, internships, professional development and mentorship – culminating in an appointment in the Foreign Service as a Diplomatic Technology Officer (DTO).
Eligibility
Below are the current eligibility requirements for the FAIT Fellowship 2025 cohort. Women, members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, and those with financial need, are encouraged to apply.
To be eligible to apply for the 2025 cohort, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Enrolled or planning to enroll in a full-time IT-related degree program at a U.S.-based accredited institution.
- For the undergraduate fellowship:
- Community college students in an associate degree program must be seeking admission to enter a full-time, IT-related bachelor’s degree program in fall 2025 AND on a timeline to graduate in spring 2027 after completing four full-time semesters.
- Four-year college/university students must be enrolled full-time in an IT-related bachelor’s degree program AND on a timeline to graduate in spring 2027 after completing four full-time semesters starting in fall 2025.
- Students enrolled in an accelerated bachelor’s/master’s IT-related degree program must be on a timeline to graduate in spring 2027 after completing four full-time semesters starting in fall 2025.
- For the graduate fellowship:
- Individuals must be seeking admission to enter a full-time, IT-related master’s degree in fall 2025 AND be on a timeline to graduate in spring 2027 after completing four full-time semesters.
- Hold a minimum 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale at the time of the application, and maintain this GPA throughout the program.
As a selected FAIT Fellow, you must:
- Obtain and maintain security clearances and suitability requirements, and meet minimum medical qualification standards.
- Agree to a five-year commitment with the Foreign Service upon successful completion of the program and the State Department’s requirements.
If you are not sure whether your degree program fits into the timeline, please contact us at FAITFellowship@twc.edu before you apply.
How to Apply
The application for the FAIT Fellowship 2025 is open September 16, 2024, to January 21, 2025, at 11:59 pm (EDT). Applications submitted after the deadline date will not be considered, so please take note of your local time zone.
Here are important deadlines to keep in mind:
Early Review Deadline: Jan 7, 2025. Take advantage of getting an early review of your application to ensure all documents are correctly submitted. This gives you time to resubmit documents if needed.
Final Deadline: Jan 21, 2025, at 11:59 pm (EST). Any applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
To begin, click the Apply Now button. This will take you to The Washington Center’s program application portal login page. If you have not yet registered, click “Create an Account.” Once you are in the program application portal, click the Apply Now tab and select FAIT Fellowship.
Chevening Scholarships 2025/2026 (fully funded)
OVERVIEW
Chevening Scholarships enable outstanding emerging leaders from all over the world to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the UK. Whilst there is no ‘typical’ Chevening Scholar, we are looking for the kind of people who have the passion, ideas, and influence to provide the solutions and leadership needed to create a better future.
Because these scholarships are fully-funded (flights, accommodation, and course fees are all included), you are free to focus on achieving your professional goals and maximising the experience of a lifetime. You will live and study in the UK for a year, during which time you will develop professionally and academically, network extensively, experience UK culture, and build lasting positive relationships with the UK. On completing your studies, you will leave the UK equipped with the knowledge and networks necessary to bring your own ideas to life.
Who can apply for a Chevening Scholarship?
Chevening enables outstanding emerging leaders from all over the world to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the UK.
There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ Chevening Scholar, but those who are successful tend to have ambition, leadership qualities, and a passion for influencing positive change in their home countries.
We encourage you to apply if you meet our eligibility criteria and other requirements. Your gender, age (there is no upper age limit), sexual orientation, religion, marriage or parenthood status, caste, class, or other attributes do not matter to us. What matters is your ability to submit a thoughtful application that demonstrates you are capable of excelling on an intense master’s course in the UK, and that you have a clear vision for your future.
Application timeline
The process of selecting Chevening Scholars takes a minimum of eight months from the application deadline to when applicants are conditionally selected for an award. Here is an overview of the application and selection process, so you always know what's going on.
Read our application guidance, and then apply via your country/territory’s page.
COMMONWEALTH MASTER’S SCHOLARSHIPS 2025/2026
Overview
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.
Applicants are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.
How to apply
Applications for Commonwealth Master’s scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year are now open. The deadline for submitting an application is 16:00 BST (15:00 GMT) on 15 October 2024. The scholarships are for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2025.
Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via the online application system.