Across Thailand and the Mekong region, rural women are the backbone of communities—balancing care work, farming, and micro-enterprises while preserving local wisdom and driving local economies.
Yet, their contributions are often overlooked. As Thailand is on track to become a super-aged society, investing in rural women’s entrepreneurship is not only about equity—it is about ensuring sustainable development for all.
1 / 2
Rural Women Entrepreneurs:
The Heart of a Sustainable Future
Her Voice
Step into the shoes of these women entrepreneurs and see why their voices matter
Kenan Work on Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality
Gender inequality continues to hinder women’s economic potential across the Lower Mekong Subregion. Limited access to finance, business and digital skills, entrenched gender norms, and domestic responsibilities restrict opportunities for women, while climate change further threatens their livelihoods.
Through entrepreneurship training, financial literacy programs, and community engagement initiatives, we help women achieve economic independence, amplify their voices, and become leaders of change. By breaking down barriers and fostering equal opportunities, Kenan drives progress toward a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous society — where women are recognized not only as beneficiaries but as key drivers of sustainable development.
Kenan Foundation Asia’s WE Inspire program helps women in the Lower Mekong Subregion overcome barriers to economic opportunity. Through training, mentoring, and seed grants, the program builds women’s skills in entrepreneurship, finance, and health—empowering them to achieve financial security, improve well-being, and drive gender equality across their communities.
In Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai, WE Inspire is currently supporting 28 micro-enterprises to strengthen their businesses and connect local wisdom to wider markets. These micro-enterprises are not just businesses—they are engines of resilience, intergenerational care, and sustainable community development.
Discover the diverse products created by local entrepreneurs in Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai, Thailand. This map showcases their unique crafts, foods, and innovations—connecting you directly to the communities driving local economies and preserving cultural heritage.
Together with local partners, government, and businesses, WE Inspire builds a support network that connects women to skills, finance, healthcare services, and markets—creating impact that lasts beyond the project.
Cookies help us give you a better experience on this site. They let us remember your settings and learn which pages are useful. You choose what to allow, and you can change your mind at any time.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
