Women-led Businesses Account for 41% of the regional economy: Oschadbank Held Regional Meetings with Female Entrepreneurs as Part of the Finance Her Initiative

Oschadbank held a series of regional meetings with female entrepreneurs as part of the Finance Her initiative which aims to expand access for women-led businesses to finance and development tools. The meetings took place on September 22–25 in Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Dnipro and Odesa, bringing together over 120 women representing micro-businesses.

It was no coincidence that the events were held in these regions. According to a study by OpenDataBot, women run almost a third (32%) of all businesses across Ukraine, and among Oschadbank’s customers this figure stands at 34%. At the same time, it is in frontline, de-occupied and border regions that the proportion of female entrepreneurship is significantly higher: in Chernihiv Region it reaches 41%, in Odesa Region 34%, in Zaporizhzhia Region 32%  and in Dnipropetrovsk Region 29%. This is due, in particular, to the active relocation of businesses and the involvement of women in management as a result of mobilisation processes.

In such circumstances, support for women-led businesses is crucial for the resilience of local communities and the economy as a whole. The rapid growth in women’s leadership is also confirmed by statistics on new business registrations: in the microbusiness sector (sole traders), women have become the clear leaders, accounting for 61% of all new registrations in Ukraine. Women’s keen interest in developing their own businesses is also reflected in Oschadbank’s customer statistics. Overall, businesses led by women account for 26% of the bank’s MSME loan portfolio.

Deputy heads of Oschadbank’s regional branches responsible for working with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, took part in the regional meetings. Participants received practical information on opportunities for cooperation with the bank, including the terms and conditions of loan and grant programmes, opening and managing current accountsas well as other financial instruments for business development.

Among the participants were female entrepreneurs working in the restaurant and beauty sectors, retail, the sale of cosmetic products, footwear manufacturing, and those providing services in the fields of education, business training and consultancy, as well as those developing coffee shops and other micro-business ventures.

“Women are playing an increasingly significant role in entrepreneurship today, and the figures confirm this. At the same time, behind every figure lies a specific business that requires development, knowledge and high-quality banking services. That is precisely why it is important to engage in direct dialogue with female entrepreneurs in the regions - to listen to their needs and showcase the tools available to them. We are joining forces with Finance Her to expand female entrepreneurs’ access to finance as well as to support the development of their business and digital skills,” said Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska, a Member of Oschadbank’s Management Board in charge of  MSMEs.

The regional meetings form part of the joint Finance Her initiative  which Oschadbank is implementing alongside the international organisation Prosper Global as part of the URC. Oschadbank is a partner in the development of the digital financial sector, the integration of women-led businesses into supply chains and improving women’s access to finance.

The aim of Finance Her is to ensure that women entrepreneurs have fair access to investment for Ukraine’s post-war recovery. The programme covers three key areas: finance, business and digital.

The finance strand involves developing skills in systematic management, risk analysis, break-even calculations and attracting investment and loan financing. The business component focuses on strategic thinking, entering corporate and public procurement markets, and building supply chains. The digital component helps participants master digital tools, payment systems, online reporting and analytics for developing their businesses online.

Oschadbank continues to develop solutions for women’s entrepreneurship and to create opportunities for businesses to access the financing necessary for their sustainability, development and participation in Ukraine’s economic recovery.