Organizations working to bridge the digital gender gap across Africa are invited to apply for Round 2 of the SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa, an initiative designed to support innovative partnerships that empower women and girls through digital technologies.

Managed by CARE in partnership with the GSMA Foundation and supported by the Gates Foundation, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator aims to identify and scale proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls to fully participate in the digital economy.

Round 2 officially opens 20 May 2026 and focuses on Partnerships for Women’s Digital Empowerment at Scale, providing an opportunity for organizations to expand impactful digital initiatives while contributing to a more inclusive digital ecosystem across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Application Status

Applications are now open.

Applicants are encouraged to review the official Request for Applications and submit their proposals through the official application process.

About the SheConnects Digital Accelerator

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: Africa was established to address one of the continent’s most pressing development challenges—the digital gender divide.

Across many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls continue to face barriers to accessing digital technologies, affordable internet, digital skills, and online economic opportunities. These challenges limit their participation in education, entrepreneurship, employment, financial inclusion, and broader social development.

The Accelerator seeks to change this by supporting organizations with tested solutions that can be expanded to reach more women and girls.

Rather than focusing solely on technology, the programme emphasizes partnerships, evidence generation, and scalable innovation capable of creating lasting systemic change.

Round 2 Theme

The second round of the Accelerator is centered on:

Partnerships for Women’s Digital Empowerment at Scale

Successful applicants will be organizations or partnerships capable of delivering impactful digital solutions that improve women’s participation in the digital world while generating evidence that can influence future policies and digital inclusion strategies.

Programme Objectives

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator seeks to:

• Increase meaningful digital adoption among women and girls.
• Improve access to the internet and digital services.
• Strengthen women’s economic opportunities through technology.
• Support innovative partnerships across sectors.
• Generate evidence on effective digital inclusion strategies.
• Promote south-to-south knowledge sharing.
• Strengthen inclusive digital ecosystems across Africa.
• Influence future digital policies and programming.

What the Accelerator Supports

The programme is looking for proven solutions that can be expanded to create greater impact.

Potential initiatives may focus on:

• Digital literacy and skills development.
• Women’s access to affordable internet.
• Digital entrepreneurship.
• Financial inclusion through digital platforms.
• Digital livelihoods.
• Technology-enabled education.
• Women’s online safety.
• Digital innovation.
• Community-based digital inclusion initiatives.
• Partnerships that improve access to digital opportunities.

Projects should demonstrate clear evidence of impact and strong potential for scaling.

Why Women’s Digital Inclusion Matters

Digital technologies have become essential for participating in modern economies and societies.

When women have equitable access to digital tools and internet connectivity, they gain opportunities to:

• Access education.
• Start and grow businesses.
• Improve household incomes.
• Access healthcare information.
• Participate in financial services.
• Build professional networks.
• Strengthen resilience during economic shocks.

Closing the digital gender gap also contributes to broader economic growth and sustainable development across Africa.

Partnership Approach

One of the distinguishing features of the Accelerator is its emphasis on collaboration.

Organizations are encouraged to build partnerships that bring together:

• Civil society organizations.
• Technology companies.
• Government institutions.
• Research organizations.
• Innovation hubs.
• Community-based organizations.
• Private sector partners.

These collaborations help ensure solutions are sustainable, scalable, and capable of influencing digital ecosystems.

Round 1 Success

During the first round, CARE partnered with four African organizations that are advancing women’s meaningful use of digital technologies:

• Centre for Information Technology and Development
• KICTANet
• Smart Regional Consultants
• TechHer

These organizations are implementing innovative initiatives designed to improve digital access, strengthen livelihoods, and generate valuable evidence that can shape future digital inclusion efforts across the continent.

Programme Partners

The Accelerator is delivered through a partnership between:

• CARE
• GSMA Foundation

with financial support from:

• Gates Foundation

Together, these organizations are working to accelerate digital inclusion and empower women across Sub-Saharan Africa through innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based programming.

Benefits of Participating

Organizations selected for the Accelerator can benefit from:

• Support to scale proven digital solutions.
• Opportunities to build strategic partnerships.
• Increased visibility for innovative initiatives.
• Access to learning and knowledge-sharing networks.
• Contribution to research and evidence generation.
• Opportunities to influence digital inclusion policies.
• Strengthened organizational capacity.
• Regional collaboration across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Why You Should Apply

If your organization is already delivering impactful digital solutions that empower women and girls, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator offers an opportunity to expand your reach, strengthen partnerships, and contribute to transforming digital inclusion across Africa.

Through collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based learning, participating organizations can help shape a future where women and girls have equal opportunities to thrive in the digital economy.

Interested organizations should review the official Request for Applications and submit their proposals through the official SheConnects Digital Accelerator application portal.

Apply Here 

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