ExportEase Hub – Empowering Women Entrepreneurs for Global Expansion
Context and objectives
In East Jerusalem, women-led SMEs face limited digital skills, constrained market access due to movement restrictions, scarce financing options, and high business turnover linked to gaps in planning and product development. ExportEase responds by offering targeted e-commerce training, financial literacy, business development support, and direct access to a local online marketplace so women entrepreneurs can reach regional and international customers. This approach aligns with World Bank, ITC and MAS insights that stress digital literacy, affordable connectivity, regulatory compliance, and logistics partnerships as foundations for digital trade. The project’s overall objectives are to (1) build digital and entrepreneurial capacities, (2) strengthen market access via platform integration and partnerships, and (3) foster a sustained support network for women entrepreneurs.
Location
Key figures
Duration:
15 months
Countries:
1
Budget for the action:
€287,071.13
Grant awarded:
€219,851.63
Promoter
Star for Life Jerusalem (SFL)
SFL is a locally rooted non-profit that promotes technology, entrepreneurship and innovation to create sustainable economic opportunities in East Jerusalem. It operates a robust support infrastructure (mentorship, business development, consulting), runs scaling programmes such as TechConnect and Non-Tech Connect, and helped develop Silal, East Jerusalem’s first e-commerce platform for underserved SMBs and women entrepreneurs. In ExportEase, SFL leads coordination, training and market-access work, integrating the Hub with its wider ecosystem for long-term sustainability.
Key partners
NA
Beneficiaries
- Direct: 20 women-led SMEs and aspiring women entrepreneurs (priority to those with limited digital literacy, restricted market access, and financing constraints).
- Final beneficiaries (estimated): 7,465 people through household, employment multiplier, community and digital-campaign reach.
Key actions
Digital literacy & e-commerce capacity building (online marketing, platform management, payments).
Product development & market-readiness workshops (quality standards, branding, packaging, pricing, inventory).
Marketplace integration & visibility (product listings on the local platform; public awareness campaign).
Logistics & export training (cross-border processes and compliance).
Financial literacy & access to finance (with formalisation/registration support).
Mentorship and peer-support network anchored in SFL’s existing programmes.
Expected results
Skills & readiness: 20 women-led SMEs trained in e-commerce; enhanced digital and export competencies.
Market access & revenue: Increased sales through platform exposure; projected average +25% monthly revenue within year one.
Business formalisation & finance: Up to 80% of participants formalised; at least 30% with access to finance.
Jobs & community impact: Each participant business projected to create at least one job; broad community reach via campaigns and partnerships.
