Implementation of the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE)

1. Project Background, Goals, and Objectives 

The U.S. Embassy Dushanbe’s Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) announces an open competition to implement the second cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) in Tajikistan. The AWE program, established by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in 2019, aims to provide women with the knowledge, networks, and access needed to launch or scale successful businesses. The program uses the no-cost, online DreamBuilder platform, developed in partnership with Arizona State University and Freeport-McMoRan. The DreamBuilder platform teaches participants the fundamentals of starting or growing a small business from a U.S. perspective, offering modules on marketing, pricing, and bookkeeping, and includes a built-in business plan generator. By promoting women’s economic opportunities and ensuring that women have the capabilities and resources to participate in the economy, the AWE program directly supports the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. 

The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and Khatlon regions of Tajikistan have significant potential for economic development, particularly through the empowerment of women entrepreneurs. Despite recent progress, women in these regions face numerous challenges, including limited access to financial resources, business training, and market opportunities. Cultural and social barriers also hinder women’s participation in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

These regions have been particularly associated with a large population of labor migrants. Approximately 30% of the working-age population in GBAO and 25% in Khatlon are engaged in labor migration, primarily to Russia and other neighboring countries. This migration trend significantly impacts the local economy and the availability of human resources, particularly affecting women who often remain behind to manage households and seek alternative income sources. 

Project Goal:  

Increase participation of women entrepreneurs in Tajikistan’s GBAO and Khatlon regions’ local economy by offering a U.S.-style online education facilitated and localized by State Department exchange alumni and local partners. The project aims to foster networks for peer-to-peer mentorship, business partnerships, and scale opportunities with regional and U.S. businesses. 

Project Objectives: Project proposals may address one or more of the project themes listed below. Applicants are encouraged to incorporate all the objectives listed under a selected theme.  

1. Empower Women Entrepreneurs through Training and Skills Development 

• Improve women entrepreneurs’ confidence and motivation in pursuing and growing their businesses, as measured by 90% improvement in self-reported confidence levels by the end of the training.  
• Increase the ability of women to create and grow their businesses, resulting in 50% of participants launching a registered business or scaling up their business within 6 months of completing the program. 
• Promote the use of technology and digital tools among women entrepreneurs, resulting in at least 90% of participants actively using two or more digital tools in their businesses Digital tools include but are not limited to: e-commerce platforms, social media marketing, financial management software, and more). 

1. Enhance Awareness and Access to Business Opportunities and Funding 

• Increase women entrepreneurs’ awareness and knowledge of business opportunities in Tajikistan, resulting in at least 90% of participants applying for at least one business opportunity within three months of completing the training. 
• Increase the capacity of 15-20 of women entrepreneurs to apply for funding opportunities, including grants, loans, and investments, resulting in at least 50% of participants applying for funding within six months of completing the training and 50% of participants receiving funding approval to fuel their business growth. 

Project Audience 

• Women aged 18 to 45. 
• Women from Khatlon or GBAO regions. 
• Holding high school and/or university degrees. 
• Approximately 1-2 years of business experience. 
• Motivation to start or scale a long-term business or entrepreneurial activity. 
• From diverse backgrounds in GBAO or Khatlon regions of Tajikistan. 
• Minimum intermediate computer skills. 
• Proven leadership experience. 
• Ideally experience volunteering in local communities. 
• Some English proficiency preferred, but not required. 

For more information, please see the attached Full NOFO in PDF version.