Final Evaluation of the €mprende Project: Strengthening of women's entrepreneurial skills to enhance their economic autonomy

The €mprende project (5.5M EUR) is a joint initiative between the EU and the Government of Costa Rica designed to provide support to women with entrepreneurial potential so they can increase their level of development and strengthen their business capabilities. This project allows entrepreneurs and businesswomen from rural and urban-marginal areas (notably from regions of lower socio-economic development) to Acquire and strengthen their entrepreneurial capacity; Manage to create new companies and bring established MSEs to a higher level of development, positioning itself in competitive economic sectors; and Develop their capacity to influence local affairs to promote their rights, particularly economic ones. The €mprende project was implemented through activities related to the creation of a regional platform in regions of lower socio-economic development aiming at articulating business development services and financial services, with a sectoral and gender approach, and the development of local services that generate, at local level, a facilitating environment for women entrepreneurs. ETI Consulting, member of the consortium led by DAI, was contracted by the European Union Delegation to Costa Rica to perform the final evaluation of this project. The evaluation was carried out according to international best practices and EU approach (OECD-DAC criteria) and let to the formulation of a set of recommendations on how to anchor the positive impacts of the project in future assistance.