Program
Accelerating the Growth of Women-led Enterprises
Women entrepreneurs in Vietnam often lack access to financing, markets, and digital tools; our programs help them access the skills and resources they need to build their businesses and reach new markets.
Women-led small and growing businesses play a vital role in Vietnam’s economy, yet many lack access to the digital skills, finance, technology, business networks, and time needed to grow.
The Accelerate My Business program, with funding from Visa, is a national program that equips women entrepreneurs with practical digital, financial, and business management capabilities to grow their businesses and reach new customers.
Accelerating Small and Growing Businesses, funded by the Target Foundation, supports women entrepreneurs from ethnic minority groups in Dien Bien through practical training in digital, financial, and business skills while strengthening links to finance, international markets, and product promotion channels. The project has supported more than 2,000 household and small businesses, around 80% include women from ethnic minority groups.
Impact
According to a participant survey:
Said they have improved their knowledge of business management, finance, and digital tools.
Said they have more confidence to use mobile phones and the internet for business.
Said they have applied digital tools to manage their businesses.
Said they increased their customer base.
About the Accelerate Programs
This program uses a blended learning model that combines self-paced online training with in-person mentoring, peer learning, networking, and ongoing business support delivered through local microfinance partners. The program pairs digital training with locally tailored support while addressing broader constraints, including limited access to finance, professional networks, and time due to unpaid care responsibilities. A challenge fund enables promising women entrepreneurs to apply their learning, test new ideas, scale successful business models, and create benefits for their communities.
In remote Dien Bien, women-led household and small businesses have limited access to education, finance, markets, and formal growth pathways. The program supports women entrepreneurs from ethnic minority groups through practical training in digital, financial, and business skills while strengthening links to finance, international markets, and product promotion channels. The project has supported 2,000+ household and small businesses, around 80% including women from ethnic minority groups.
Success Stories
Pham Thi Hai –Thanh Hoa
From Coastal Livelihood to Jellyfish Salad Brand
Having worked in coastal livelihoods since childhood, Ms. Hai started with small-scale household jellyfish salad processing, relying mainly on manual methods and experience. After joining Accelerate My Business, she applied financial management and cost control practices and expanded sales through digital platforms, gradually professionalizing her business.
“I have shifted from experience-based practices to planned, long-term management.”
Her revenue increased by 15–20%, and she created stable jobs for more than 15 local women, enhancing seafood value and supporting sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities.
Tran Thi Dung – Thanh Hoa
Expanding Livelihoods from Sedge Handicrafts
Starting from small-scale sedge weaving, Ms. Dung had difficulty sustaining her livelihood. Through Accelerate My Business, she applied financial management, planning, and digital marketing approaches to improve her business performance and confidently expanded operations to neighboring communes.
“After learning from the project training, I boldly expanded my model and brought my products to more communes.”
Her revenue now reaches VND 320–350 million (USD 13,00–14,000) per month, with a network of 8 distributors. She’s created jobs for more than 100 workers, mainly women and older people, contributing to sustainable local livelihoods.
Hoang Thi Binh – Hanoi
Mechanizing Agriculture
At the age of 61, Ms. Binh continues to learn and innovate, transitioning from manual farming to tray seedlings and mechanized transplanting to reduce labor intensity. After joining Accelerate My Business, she improved her management skills and understanding of customer needs, expanded markets, and is proactively sourcing outputs for local farmers.
“My determination is to introduce mechanization so that women no longer have to work so hard in the fields.”
The model has increased productivity, improved profits by approximately 50%, and created jobs for around 20 local workers, contributing to more sustainable agricultural production.
Featured Publication
Accelerate My Business Executive Summary Report 2022
This report provides an overview of the Accelerate My Business program in Malaysia and Indonesia.