About Us
The Zena Launch Pad equips women entrepreneurs to drive change in the global story of extreme poverty and gender inequality.
Our Story
Our Approach
The Zena Launchpad was founded in 2016 with a mission to create sustainable solutions to poverty by empowering women entrepreneurs in Uganda. Our founders, inspired by academic research and on-the-ground experience, developed a model that breaks away from traditional handouts and loans. We believe in the agency of the most marginalized and that with the right tools—debt-free capital, capacity-building, and education—women can redefine their futures and transform their communities.
We take a holistic approach to capacity building. We believe that poverty is MORE than just a financial state. Instead, it impacts women socially, relationally, spiritually and mentally.
Women in our program don’t just receive capital; they earn it through short-term employment contracts. We believe that employment allows women to learn that their time has value. Earning a pay check for themselves profoundly impacts a woman’s self belief and sense of agency.
Earning also provides the perfect backdrop for education. Zena women learn business leadership, digital skills, leadership and financial literacy.
Our graduates go on to mentor new participants, spreading the knowledge and fostering a ripple effect of empowerment.
