Debora Mashauri

Pioneered women's entrepreneurship in East Africa through innovative financial inclusion programs

Debora Mashauri (born 1975) is a Tanzanian social entrepreneur who revolutionized access to financial services for women in East Africa through her groundbreaking work with the Eastern and Southern Africa Women's Entrepreneurship Programme (ESAF WEP). Starting in the late 1990s, she developed microfinance models specifically tailored for female entrepreneurs, creating pathways for over 500,000 women to start and grow businesses in regions where only 12% of women had formal bank accounts. Her 2018 TED Talk highlighted how her programs integrated cultural sensitivity with financial literacy training, resulting in repayment rates exceeding 98% in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Mashauri's most impactful innovation was the creation of 'Women's Business Centers' which provided not just loans but also mentorship networks and market linkages. These centers became hubs for technology adoption, with 2019 data showing 70% of participants using mobile banking systems she helped implement. Her work directly contributed to Tanzania's 2016 SME Policy that now mandates 30% female representation in business development programs. Recent initiatives include blockchain-based microinsurance products through her 2021 venture FemTech Africa, which has insured over 200,000 smallholder farmers against climate risks.