Coaching & Mentorship Resources for Women Social Entrepreneurs
- Anam
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
Free Coaching & Mentorship Resources Empowering Women Social Entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East
Leadership for women entrepreneurs, especially in social enterprises, often requires more than strong passion or an innovative idea. It demands networks, role models, structured support, and guidance to navigate challenges like access to capital, systemic biases, and institutional gaps. Coaching and mentorship resources play a crucial role in bridging these gaps.
Why Coaching & Mentorship Matter
Personalized Growth: Coaches and mentors offer tailored feedback, perspective, and encouragement, helping women sharpen leadership skills, from negotiation to strategic thinking, team building, communications, and resilience.
Accelerated Learning: Instead of “failing forward” alone, mentees learn from mentors’ experiences, avoiding repeated mistakes.
Confidence & Visibility: Women leaders often benefit from advocacy and sponsorship by mentors who can open doors, introduce them to networks, and raise their visibility.
Sustainability: For social entrepreneurs, building sustainable impact requires not just ideas but strong leadership over time. Mentorship helps with long-term planning, adapting to changes, and scaling impact.
Key Features of Effective Mentorship/Coaching Programs
Structured curricula or frameworks should be implemented to ensure that the program is not ad hoc.
Clarity of goals, roles, and expectations.
Matching mentors and mentees in terms of field, interests, and preferably values.
Access to networks & peer groups.
There are ample opportunities for introspection and feedback.
Accessibility includes virtual options, when possible, low or no fees, and flexible schedules.
Free & Accessible Programs & Resources in Africa & the Middle East
Here are several free or largely subsidized mentorship, coaching, or resource programs and platforms geared toward women leaders, especially social entrepreneurs, in Africa and the Middle East.
Inspire Her Afrika (Africa broadly)
This program pairs African women mentees with experienced mentors and includes monthly "mastery" sessions, skill-building activities, networking opportunities, and personal branding workshops.
“She Entrepreneurs” by the Swedish Institute (Middle East & North Africa (MENA))
The Swedish Institute covers the costs of seminars, workshops, interactive learning, and other activities for women who already have a social business.
SASIE Program (Idea to Venture) (Africa)
The program supports women with tech-based business ideas for free over 6 weeks and includes access to an incubator.
Leadership Accelerator Program (LAP) by LEAP Africa (Africa)
For high-potential young women, it includes free online courses, a one-week bootcamp, and then 3 months of intensive mentorship.
MentHer (Africa & global reach)
Supports female social entrepreneurs at the idea or seed stage: mentors, workshops, events, and connections to networks & resources.
WICA – Women Innovating with Cloud in Africa (Africa)
WICA provides training, leadership development, mentorship in cloud computing, and networking opportunities. Especially useful for tech-oriented women leaders.
How to Make the Most of these Resources
To maximize the benefits of coaching and mentorship programs:
Set Clear Goals: What leadership skill do you want to develop? What are the milestones? for your enterprise? Having clear goals helps mentor/coach guidance be sharper.
Be Proactive: Seek feedback, ask questions, and seek out extra resources. Don’t just wait; actively engage in sessions and follow up with mentors.
Build a Network: Mentorship is beneficial, but peer networks amplify impact. The more women leaders you meet, the more opportunities for shared learning and collaboration you can create.
Give and Receive: If possible, consider becoming a mentor in the future; teaching and reinforcing what you’ve learned helps deepen your skills.
Use Free Learning Resources: Besides mentorship, there are free online courses (e.g., leadership, social impact, and digital skills); many MOOC platforms offer free access or financial aid.
Barriers That Still Need Bridging
Sustainability of Support: Some programs are short duration; after the program ends, mentees can feel isolated unless there’s follow-up or alumni networks.
Cultural & Language Barriers: In many parts of the Middle East & Africa, language, gender norms, and societal expectations may limit participation or honest dialogue. Mentors/coaches should be sensitive to this.
Access to Digital Tools: Virtual mentorship assumes good internet access and devices; in rural or low-income areas, such constraints might be a challenge.
Additional Free Resources
To supplement mentorship and coaching, there are many free toolkits, platforms, and communities available.
Viridian Africa’s “9 Free Resources for Women Entrepreneurs and Investors”: A curated list of toolkits, networks, & learning platforms. viridian.africa
Xena World (via Viridian): An app/community for women entrepreneurs, with a free resource hub, group mentorship, and learning materials. viridian.africa
Terra Viva Grants Directory: while it's more grants-oriented, it also lists mentorship and training programs in sectors for social & environmental entrepreneurs. terravivagrants.org
What’s Needed Next
To continue strengthening coaching/mentorship for women leaders in Africa & MENA:
Expand programs to rural or underrepresented geographies.
Ensure programs are accessible in local languages.
Foster public/private partnerships so more mentors from diverse sectors volunteer.
Build strong alumni communities to sustain impact beyond the duration of formal mentorship.
Increase funding for programs that combine coaching, mentorship, training, and capital.
In In conclusion, there is an increasing ecosystem of free or low-cost mentorship, coaching, and resource platforms available for women social entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East. The key is to identify the programs that fit your stage (idea / seed / scaling), engage proactively, and use these not just to grow your business but to grow your leadership. The support is out there; what matters is finding which support matches your journey.
To learn more about how Hermenow Accelerator is supporting women-led social enterprises in MENA, please visit our website, www.hermenow.com.
If you are a HerMeNow participant or alumni, book your free coaching session now through the HerMeNow website https://www.hermenow.com/wellness.
Anam Anjum
Wellness Consultant
+971 52 629 9656
