Imbali for Her Programme Aims to Unlock Growth and Opportunity for South Africa’s Women Entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs across South Africa are set to benefit from a new enterprise development initiative designed to improve access to funding, business support and long-term growth opportunities.

Launched by the Department of Small Business Development and the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA), the Imbali for Her Programme was officially unveiled in Kimberley, Northern Cape, as a dedicated intervention to address the unique challenges faced by women-owned enterprises.

The programme follows extensive consultations with women entrepreneurs across the country, ensuring that the support offered responds directly to the realities many business owners face when trying to start, sustain and scale their ventures.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Small Business Development Stella Tembisa Ndabeni said the programme was developed with women entrepreneurs rather than for them.

“Let’s hear directly from the women,” she said. “What is it that you need? Why is it impossible for you to access capital?”

The result is a programme that combines financial assistance with practical business development support, creating a more holistic approach to entrepreneurship development.

Supporting Women at Every Stage of Growth

The Imbali for Her Programme is for women-owned enterprises across the growth value chain, offering a blended support model that includes access to funding, mentorship, coaching and business development support.

Eligible businesses can access up to R5 million in blended finance, alongside tailored support designed to strengthen business operations and improve long-term sustainability.

According to Ndabeni, consultations revealed that many women entrepreneurs possess the skills and expertise to succeed but often struggle with the commercial and administrative requirements to secure funding and grow their businesses.

“We know how to make things. We do have the skill. But in terms of commercialising, this is where we are suffering,” she said, referring to feedback received from women business owners during the consultation process.

The programme’s business development component aims to bridge that gap by helping entrepreneurs become investment-ready while providing guidance on compliance, market access and business growth strategies.

“Entrepreneurs, you can’t just throw money at them,” Ndabeni added. “You’ve got to make people funding-ready.”

Driving Inclusive Economic Growth

At its core, the Imbali for Her Programme is designed to advance inclusive and sustainable economic growth by focusing on three key objectives:

• Enhancing access to finance for women-owned enterprises
• Strengthening business capacity through targeted support  
• Enabling long-term business sustainability

Particular attention will be given to ensuring that women entrepreneurs in rural and underserved communities are able to access opportunities that have historically been concentrated in major economic centres.

“If you go to Gauteng, the majority have access to capital because that’s where it is concentrated,” said Ndabeni. “This is why we said it’s important that we look at the rural provinces.”

The launch in the Northern Cape reflects the government’s intention to expand economic opportunities beyond traditional business hubs and ensure that women entrepreneurs in all corners of the country can participate meaningfully in the economy.

Building Sustainable Businesses, Not Just Funding Them

While access to finance remains a critical challenge for many small businesses, the government says the success of the programme will ultimately be measured by the sustainability and competitiveness of the businesses it supports.

“We are moving away from the fact that we’ve supported 100,000 businesses,” Ndabeni said. “We want sustainable, competitive businesses that are able to stay in business.”

The programme forms part of broader efforts to increase the participation of women in South Africa’s economy, while unlocking the entrepreneurial potential that exists within our communities across the country.

By combining funding with mentorship, coaching and development support, the Imbali for Her Programme aims to create more resilient businesses, stronger local economies and greater opportunities for women entrepreneurs to thrive.

Applications for the programme are available through SEDFA‘s national network and digital platforms.

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