HerMeNow: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in MENA Beyond the Accelerator

Anam
Aug 25
4 min read

Updated: Sep 3

A woman places sticky notes in the ‘Collaboration Zone’ on a poster board during a HerMeNow workshop, while another participant looks on in the background.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Across MENA, Long After the Pitch Day

When women come together with purpose, remarkable things happen. Over the past years, HerMeNow has been empowering women social entrepreneurs across MENA but our work has never been confined to a fixed program or a single funding cycle.

HerMeNow was founded on a simple belief: that when you nurture a woman’s idea, you nurture her community, her livelihood, and her capacity to transform systems around her.

For many, an accelerator is a short-lived experience. A few months of training, mentorship, perhaps a pitch day, and then a polite farewell. But for us, that model was never enough. From the very beginning, HerMeNow committed to walking alongside women not only during the accelerator but long after the spotlight dimmed.

Beyond the Program: A Circle of Support

Post-program support has become one of HerMeNow's strongest pillars. We understand that growth rarely follows a linear timeline. Some ideas take off quickly; others require time to mature, pivot, or pause before they flourish. This is why we continue to provide non-financial support to our finalists well after the official cycle ends.

Our team remains in regular touch with alumni through WhatsApp groups, one-to-one calls, and wellness coaching check-ins. These conversations are not transactional. They are spaces to ask questions, share small wins, or simply remind each other that the journey of a social entrepreneur is often long and winding. Whether it is helping a founder connect to a local supplier, sharing new funding opportunities, or offering a listening ear during a challenging moment, our relationship with our finalists is ongoing.

Wellbeing as a Priority

Supporting women entrepreneurs is not only about access to resources or strategic advice. It is also about ensuring their wellbeing as they navigate the pressures of building impact-driven businesses. Hermenow has taken a proactive step in this direction by providing wellbeing coaching services to its finalists.

Through a partnership with Rama Impact, we have extended this support to include personalized coaching sessions, reflective practices, and tools that help women manage stress, prevent burnout, and stay grounded in their mission. For many entrepreneurs, this has become a lifeline that allows them to continue creating change without sacrificing their own health and balance.

Stories That Shape the She-conomy

One of the most powerful examples of this long-term commitment is Linda Sigilai, a HerMeNow finalist and founder of Tuwe Bora Limited in Kenya. Linda’s venture provides growth skills training for urban refugees, underserved youth, and women. So far, she has created 170 direct employment connections to the export processing zone, opening doors to stability and livelihoods for many who were previously excluded from formal economic systems.

Recently, Tuwe Bora introduced a sustainable collection using 100 percent natural fibers blended with upcycled fabrics. This new direction places her among the few eco-friendly brands emerging from Kenya. Her vision does not stop there. Linda aims to grow into a textile-to-textile recycling enterprise that addresses the mounting challenges of fast fashion. You can explore her new collection here: tuwebora.com/products.

Linda’s story is just one of many that remind us why HerMeNow continues to stay connected, to listen, and to build bridges even during periods when the accelerator is on hold.

Community as Infrastructure

At the heart of HerMeNow is a belief in community as infrastructure. While buildings, grants, and business plans are important, the invisible threads of connection are what allow women to persist. A WhatsApp message arrives precisely when self-doubt begins to creep in. A phone call can pave the way for a new partnership. A shared funding lead can save a struggling business.

These gestures may seem small from the outside, but for a woman who confronts the complicated realities of entrepreneurship in this region, they often make the difference between giving up and going forward.

Looking Ahead

The past accelerator cycles have supported over a hundred women-led ventures, creating ripple effects that go far beyond the businesses themselves. Families have a more stable income. Communities gain services they previously lacked. Young women see role models who look like them and sound like them.

As we prepare for the next chapter, HerMeNow remains committed to evolving how we show up for women social entrepreneurs. Post-program support will continue to be a cornerstone of our approach.

More Than an Accelerator

To call HerMeNow an accelerator is only part of the story. We are a bridge between ambition and impact, a network that endures beyond deadlines, and a community that believes women entrepreneurs are not just participants in the economy; they are redesigning it.

Every time a woman like Linda launches a new line, hires her first team member, or chooses to pivot instead of quitting, she reminds us that progress is built one decision at a time. And it is our job to make sure that she never feels alone in that decision.

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.