Across Africa, more women are embracing digital technologies to grow businesses, access financial services, pursue education and create new economic opportunities. Yet for many women, particularly those in rural and underserved communities, unreliable internet remains a significant barrier to fully participating in the digital economy. 

This Pan-African Women’s Day, celebrated under the African Union and Pan-African Women’s Organization (PAWO) theme, “Women’s Action for Safe Sanitation, Peaceful Communities and Better Livelihoods,” serves as a reminder that creating better livelihoods increasingly depends on access to reliable digital infrastructure. As education, commerce and essential services continue to move online, affordable, high-speed internet is helping women entrepreneurs reach new markets, adopt digital tools and build more resilient businesses. 

African women continue to drive the continent’s growth through agriculture, trade, technology and entrepreneurship. Reliable connectivity is helping remove barriers to these opportunities by enabling women to access information, connect with customers, build digital skills and participate more fully in the digital economy. 

According to the African Development Bank, women own about one-third of businesses across Africa. Despite their significant contribution to the continent’s economy, many continue to face challenges in accessing technology, finance and markets needed to grow their enterprises. 

Kenya reflects a similar picture. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reports that the Women’s Empowerment Index improved from 29.3 per cent in 2020 to 40.6 per cent in 2025. However, women living in rural areas remain less empowered than those in urban areas, highlighting the need for continued investment in infrastructure and digital inclusion to ensure opportunities reach every corner of the country. 

Mawingu believes reliable internet is more than a service; it is an enabler of opportunity. 

Operating in more than 31 counties, Mawingu is expanding affordable, high-speed internet to communities that have traditionally had limited connectivity. By connecting homes, schools, health facilities and businesses, Mawingu is helping bridge the digital divide and opening doors to education, entrepreneurship, healthcare and economic growth. 

For women entrepreneurs, reliable internet is unlocking new possibilities. It enables them to market their products online, reach new customers, access digital financial services, participate in e-commerce, and develop new skills that support business growth. 

One of those entrepreneurs is Mary, who leads a group of 15 women artisans in Taita Taveta County. Before Mawingu expanded reliable internet to their community, the group mainly sold handcrafted baskets and other products within nearby villages and local markets. Their customer base was limited, and opportunities to grow the business were scarce. 

With access to Mawingu’s internet, the women began promoting their products online, reaching customers in Nairobi before expanding to international markets in Europe. They also learned how to market their products through social media, manage inventory digitally and connect with other women entrepreneurs. 

“We never imagined our products could travel so far. The internet has changed our lives,” Mary says. 

Their experience, featured in Mawingu’s 2025 Impact Report, demonstrates how reliable connectivity can help women-owned businesses access markets that were once beyond their reach. 

A similar story is unfolding in Machakos County.

When Beryl Akinyi, owner of Akinyi Delicacies, wanted to attract more customers to her hotel, she decided to install Mawingu Wi-Fi. Today, customers enjoy affordable, reliable internet while dining, creating an enhanced customer experience that has helped her business stand out. 

“It has brought more people compared to where I started. Sometimes more than ten people connect at the same time, and the internet is still strong,” she says. 

For Akinyi, reliable internet has become much more than a service she offers to her customers. 

“Everyone wants to be online. If you have that connection, more people will come to your business. It is also a good marketing strategy.” 

Although Mary and Akinyi run very different businesses, their experiences highlight the many ways reliable connectivity creates opportunities. For Mary, it unlocked access to national and international markets. For Akinyi, it enhanced customer experience and helped attract more people to her business. 

According to Mawingu Chief Executive Officer Farouk Ramji, expanding reliable connectivity is about creating opportunities for communities that have historically been excluded from digital services. 

“Reliable internet is now central to how communities learn, work and grow. By expanding connectivity to underserved communities, we are helping ensure that individuals, especially businesses, have access to the digital tools they need to succeed.” 

These stories reflect Mawingu’s broader mission of connecting underserved communities to opportunities that improve lives. Every new connection enables more learners to access digital education, more health facilities to deliver better services, more entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and more families to participate in Kenya’s digital economy. 

This Pan-African Women’s Day, Mawingu reaffirms its commitment to empowering women through reliable connectivity. As more businesses, services and opportunities move online, internet access is no longer a luxury—it is a gateway to economic empowerment and inclusive development. 

By continuing to expand reliable, affordable internet across Kenya, Mawingu is helping ensure that more women can build businesses, access new markets, strengthen their livelihoods and shape the continent’s digital future. 

To learn more about Mawingu Foundation, you can contact Charles Watiri on charles.watiri@mawingu.co or visit Mawingu Foundation.