Around the world, women continue to face disproportionate barriers to economic participation, particularly in regions where patriarchal structures and limited access to resources constrain their opportunities. In West Africa, for example, over 60% of women in rural areas lack access to digital tools and training, and only about 37% have a bank account, compared to 48% of men (IMF, 2020; OECD, 2024). Many women also report that lack of money or financial literacy prevents them from fully utilizing mobile banking or other financial services (Tandfonline, 2024). This digital and financial divide limits access to markets, income-generating opportunities, education, healthcare, and social protection programs, creating systemic barriers that hinder personal and community development.
These constraints have far-reaching implications for sustainable development and gender equality. Without access to digital tools, financial services, and the skills to navigate them, women are less able to start or grow businesses, engage in decision-making, or contribute meaningfully to their communities. Bridging these gaps is critical, not only to empower women economically but also to foster resilient, inclusive societies where women can actively participate in shaping the future of their communities.
The “Bridging the Digital Gap” with Constant Odounfa, a Senior Melton Fellow project, an initiative of the Batonga Foundation, addresses systemic barriers that women face in some of the hardest-to-reach communities in Benin and Senegal. The project centers on developing a digital platform that consolidates information on financial empowerment and accessible training resources. Leveraging digital and AI tools, the platform offers online courses and practical guides covering health, education, safety, and entrepreneurship, enabling women to make informed decisions, strengthen economic independence, and exercise greater social agency, even in deeply patriarchal settings.
Participants in the project are actively involved in co-creating the platform, contributing to content design, selecting relevant resources, and testing the usability of digital tools. Through this process, they gain hands-on experience with AI integration, digital literacy, and platform development, while also learning to identify and address the real needs of women in their communities. This participatory approach equips participants with technical and problem-solving skills while fostering a mindset rooted in social impact, collaboration, and global citizenship, aligning with the core values of the Melton Foundation’s Global Citizenship Learning Program. By combining practical skill-building with community-focused design, the project ensures the platform is both user-centered and impactful, empowering women to take tangible steps toward economic and social empowerment.
Werkhaus Inklusion: A Hub for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Werkhaus Inklusion is an innovative social enterprise and co-working hub in Erfurt that champions inclusive entrepreneurship. The organization is designed to empower individuals who face systemic barriers to economic participation such as migrants, people with limited formal education, or those traditionally excluded from professional networks. By combining mentorship, collaborative spaces, and community support, Werkhaus fosters an environment where marginalized individuals can develop the skills, confidence, and connections needed to establish sustainable businesses.
The organization’s philosophy goes beyond profit, emphasizing solidarity, dignity, and social empowerment. Participants can access tailored guidance, co-working spaces, and market opportunities, enabling them to turn ideas into viable enterprises from cafés and bakeries to creative and service-based ventures.
The Visit: Experiences and Engagement
As part of #JenaGCC2025, Global Citizenship Learning participants visited Werkhaus Inklusion to understand how inclusive entrepreneurship is practiced in a real-world setting. The visit began with an introduction by Constant, who expressed gratitude to Werkhaus for welcoming us into their space and shared a brief overview of the Bridging Digital Gap project. He highlighted that the visit was an opportunity to explore collaborations and draw inspiration from Werkhaus’ mission, after which the hosts provided an overview of their organization.
Participants toured the co-working spaces, observing how residents collaborate, exchange ideas, and access resources. They engaged directly with entrepreneurs and the Werkhaus team, asking questions about challenges, successes, and strategies for overcoming systemic barriers. This hands-on exposure offered participants a practical understanding of inclusive entrepreneurship, showing how mentorship, flexible structures, and community networks empower individuals who might otherwise be excluded from traditional business pathways.
Insights and Takeaways
The visit highlighted several key lessons that resonate with the principles of the Global Citizenship Learning programs. Participants observed the importance of personalized mentoring, noting how one-on-one guidance helps entrepreneurs clarify ideas, build confidence, and navigate structural challenges. The co-working spaces demonstrated the value of collaborative environments for resource sharing and peer learning. Participants also recognized how community support networks foster inclusion, connection, and mutual encouragement, ensuring that participants feel valued and supported.
Finally, the visit underscored the significance of access to opportunities, as Werkhaus leverages its networks to provide entry points into markets, certifications, and institutional support. By intentionally lowering financial and structural barriers, Werkhaus ensures that entrepreneurship is economically viable and socially empowering. For the Werkhaus project and the participants of the Global Citizenship Learning Program, the visit provided a practical model of how inclusive, community-centered programs can nurture innovation, resilience, and social impact, offering strategies and inspiration that can be applied in their own projects and initiatives.
This visit made me rethink what entrepreneurship really means. Beyond scaling businesses or chasing growth, it’s about building systems where no one is left behind and everyone feels a sense of belonging. That dignity matters just as much as financial success.
Connecting the Visit to the Project
The Werkhaus visit offered practical lessons that resonated deeply with the goals of the Bridging the Digital Gap with Constant project. Participants saw firsthand how inclusive entrepreneurship can be nurtured when structural barriers are lowered, support systems are personalized, and communities are empowered to collaborate. These insights directly inform the digital platform being co-created for women in Benin and Senegal.
Holistic support matters. Werkhaus showed that people thrive not just with access to tools, but with tailored mentorship and guidance that build confidence and resilience. Similarly, the digital platform aims to go beyond providing information, integrating mentorship structures that help women navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
Community and networks are critical. By fostering solidarity and shared learning, Werkhaus ensures that participants feel seen and supported. For the Bridging the Digital Gap initiative, this insight underscores the importance of creating digital spaces that foster connection, peer learning, and trust, empowering women not only as individuals but also as part of a collective.
Through these reflections, participants recognized that bridging the digital gap is not just about technology, it is about designing ecosystems of support where women can learn, connect, and thrive. By weaving together digital innovation, mentorship, and inclusive practices, the project carries forward the spirit of what they witnessed at Werkhaus: entrepreneurship as a pathway not only to income but also to dignity, belonging, and long-term empowerment.
As one participant from India reflected: “What struck me most was the understanding that entrepreneurship is shaped less by access to abundant resources and more by the courage people show when they receive meaningful support. It’s a lesson that can inform our own work.”
The visit to Werkhaus thus became more than an observation, it was an active learning experience that enriched the Fellows’ understanding of how to design and scale inclusive, community-driven solutions. The Bridging the Digital Gap project embodies this learning, serving as a living example of how global citizenship translates into tangible social impact.
Project Outcomes: Early Impact and Pathways Forward
As the first cycle of the Bridging the Digital Gap initiative comes to a close, the project has evolved from early prototyping into a phase of meaningful impact for rural women across Benin and Senegal. During the testing phase, participants engaged in hands-on training designed to strengthen both their economic opportunities and their digital confidence. Women explored practical tools such as WhatsApp Business and Facebook storefronts, and they learned low-cost income-generation techniques like producing tofu from soybeans, which aligns well with local market needs. Alongside these entrepreneurial skills, the project also introduced essential learning on digital safety, helping participants recognize risks in online spaces and adopt strategies to safeguard their personal information and wellbeing.
Early Metrics at a Glance:
• 100 rural women participated in the testing phase across Benin and Senegal
• 85 percent of participants completed digital safety and online GBV protection sessions
• Training covered three primary skill areas: digital literacy, online business setup and low-cost income generation
The testing phase offered clear insights into how rural women engage with digital tools when training is localized, supportive and responsive to their needs. It also helped refine the platform’s content, accessibility features and technical structure. Based on the strong engagement and feedback, the team is now preparing for the next stage of implementation. The platform will be integrated into the Batonga Foundation website, which already supports around seven thousand women entrepreneurs. This integration is expected to open access to at least sixty-five hundred additional rural women, with the possibility of reaching far more as Batonga Foundation expands its programs to Togo. With this expansion, the number of potential beneficiaries may reach forty-three thousand women who will have the option to use the platform regardless of whether they are enrolled in Batonga Foundation’s programs.
Reflecting on the project’s significance, the team shared, “This issue connects to the global context because the digital gap disproportionately affects marginalized communities in Benin, Senegal, and around the world, limiting access to education, economic opportunities, and essential online resources.”
Key Features That Stood Out During the Testing Phase
During the pilot, several elements of the platform proved especially valuable for rural women who were navigating digital tools for the first time.
Local language audio lessons that matched women’s literacy levels
Digital safety guides that built confidence and awareness
Simple business tools that introduced basic entrepreneurial concepts
Community-based training led by trusted local facilitators
Access to essential services such as mobile banking and health information
Real-life practice tasks that reduced fear of using digital devices
Offline-first content that worked even with unstable connectivity
Interactive audio stories based on daily situations women encounter
Digital support groups that created a sense of community and peer learning
How the Platform Supports Women in Daily Life
The platform is structured to address real challenges faced by rural women in Benin and Senegal, keeping accessibility and ease of use at the center.
Offline AI tools like Colibri.ai for women with no internet access
Step-by-step video tutorials for basic digital skills
Bilingual navigation with French and English available on every page
Fully translated content to support both Francophone and Anglophone users
Centralized access to trade fairs across Benin, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo
Direct links to online marketplaces including Jumia and Facebook Marketplace
Access to training and services related to agriculture, health, digital literacy and personal development
Skills Women Develop Through the Modules
As participants move through the learning pathways, they gradually gain skills that influence their economic independence and confidence.
Ability to access and complete business training
Engagement with support networks in their communities
Exploration of new market opportunities
Planning for small business growth
Selecting and using AI tools that match their needs
Navigating resources in a language they understand
Looking ahead, the project is shaping a long-term plan with the Batonga Foundation to ensure sustainability. The next steps include completing the platform’s integration into Batonga’s online ecosystem, extending the reach to at least forty thousand women in the coming year and expanding into additional West African countries. The team also aims to partner with organizations such as Tostan that work in agriculture and rural entrepreneurship. These partnerships will strengthen the learning pathways available on the platform and create new opportunities for women who want to take their businesses further.
The outcomes of this first phase show that when rural women have access to tools that respect their languages, realities and ambitions, they engage fully and with remarkable determination. The project is positioned to grow into a long-lasting resource that supports women’s economic and social empowerment and continues to evolve with the needs of the communities it serves.
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