Technology can be a powerful tool in the fight against poverty
At Hand in Hand, we combine entrepreneurship training with digital skills to create jobs, strengthen livelihoods and build inclusive economies.
Digitalisation is transforming how businesses operate, markets function and value is created. But millions of entrepreneurs — especially women — are excluded.
Limited access to technology, lower digital literacy, financial barriers and social norms continue to widen the digital divide.
In countries like Kenya, India and Tanzania, only 30–40% of people have internet access, compared to 95% in Sweden.
At Hand in Hand, we see digitalisation as a practical tool for entrepreneurs to leverage knowledge, resources and markets. Our entrepreneurship training integrates digital literacy — from using a smartphone and mobile banking, to digital marketing, record keeping and access to public services.
Digital skills are not an add-on. They are a core enabler of sustainable entrepreneurship.
Proven scale
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Businesses started
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Jobs created
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Lives improved
For more than 20 years, Hand in Hand has worked with entrepreneurship as a pathway out of poverty.
So far, the Hand in Hand network has contributed to the creation of more than 12.5 million jobs, improving the lives of over 31 million people across Africa and Asia.
Digital tools and innovation increasingly accelerate this impact.
From skills to systems
By integrating digital skills into entrepreneurship training, Hand in Hand supports entrepreneurs to:
reach new markets
improve productivity and profitability
access digital financial services
strengthen resilience to economic and climate-related shocks
This creates measurable impact — at scale
REAL-WORLD APPLICATION
Across our programmes, entrepreneurs use digital platforms to market products, manage inventory, store financial records securely and reach customers beyond their immediate communities.
Digital tools reduce risk, improve decision-making and enable long-term business growth.
DIGITAL INITIATIVE:
SHE MEANS BUSINESS!
Accelerating women’s entrepreneurship with digital skills
She Means Business! strengthens and expands small-scale enterprises in India, with a focus on women and marginalised groups.
The project builds digital capacities through training in digital marketing, social media, e-commerce platforms and data analytics — enabling entrepreneurs to grow, compete and create jobs.
Expected results
- Minimum 25% income increase
- 1,750 jobs created
DIGITAL INITIATIVE:
HER DIGITAL PATH
Empowering women with entrepreneurship training and digital skills
Her Digital Path strengthens the economic independence of 2,000 women and youth in and around Nairobi.
The project enables entrepreneurs to integrate digital solutions for sales, marketing, record keeping, business formalisation and access to credit — while addressing women’s unequal access to digital tools.
Expected results
- 1,400 enterprises created or strengthened
- 1,820 jobs created
Let’s continue the conversation.
Hand in Hand works where technology meets real-world adoption. We partner with companies, investors and innovators who want to:
- Apply digital solutions in complex, high-impact environments
- Test and scale technologies beyond established markets
- Contribute to inclusive digital ecosystems and job creation
Technology becomes meaningful when it works — for more people.
We believe entrepreneurship and digital inclusion are key to sustainable economic growth.
If you are interested in partnerships that combine technology, entrepreneurship and measurable impact — we invite you to explore how Hand in Hand works.
