In today’s fast-moving digital age, where technology shapes the way we live, work, and connect, a quiet revolution is taking place in the hands of Sri Lankan women. It’s not political, and it doesn’t make headlines every day — but it is powerful. It’s a movement built on smartphones, courage, and a desire for independence. At the centre of it all stands a new digital innovation: “Empower Her”, a prototype app designed to support and uplift women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.
The Power of One Tap: A New Path to Empowerment
Sri Lanka is home to over 10 million women which is more than half the population. Despite their high educational achievements, their participation in economic activity remains significantly lower than that of men. Many women juggle unpaid caregiving with aspirations to run their own businesses. Entrepreneurship offers a path to freedom, self-worth, and financial stability. But for many, that path is riddled with challenges: lack of access to resources, mentorship, markets, and supportive ecosystems.
This is where Empower Her comes in. Developed as part of a broader research study into women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment, the app aims to create a digital space where women can learn, connect, grow, and most importantly to believe in themselves.
A Digital Home for Women in Business
The idea behind Empower Her emerged from years of research and conversations with women entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka. Many spoke of feeling isolated in their business journeys. Others pointed to the struggle of managing both home and work, or the lack of access to financial services and mentorship. One of the solution was a digital platform tailored to their needs.
Empower Her allows women to:
* Create profiles showcasing their businesses.
* Connect with fellow entrepreneurs, suppliers, and customers.
* Learn new skills through educational content and peer learning.
* Access support from mentors and financial service providers.
* Raise their voices and seek advice within a trusted community.
In essence, it is more than just an app, it’s a lifeline.
Why Women Need Digital Tools to Succeed
Women entrepreneurs face hurdles men often don’t such as societal expectations, unequal access to finance, and limited mobility. But digital platforms offer a way to leap over these barriers.
With a smartphone in hand, a woman in rural Sri Lanka can now sell her homemade sweets to a customer in Colombo, connect with a graphic designer to brand her business, or learn how to manage business finances all without leaving her home. This is digital empowerment in action.And it’s not just a theory. Women who tested the Empower Her app said it was easy to use, motivating, and made them feel connected and capable.
One user, a 24-year-old food entrepreneur, said:
“I loved the colour and design of the app, it felt very welcoming. I set up my profile and started exploring within minutes.”
Another, a 48-year-old architect, noted:
“I was able to connect with other women in my field. We’ve already started discussing potential collaborations.”
Five Ways “Empower Her” Empowers Women
Through both surveys and in-depth interviews, the study uncovered five core ways in which Empower Her supports women entrepreneurs:
* User-Friendliness
The app’s intuitive design means women of all ages and education levels can use it comfortably. This simplicity is vital in a country where digital literacy still varies widely.
* Motivation and Inspiration
Seeing the success stories of other women on the app encourages users to believe that they, too, can thrive in business.
* Support Network
The app acts as a digital community, where women can share challenges, get feedback, and access essential services like finance or supplies.
* Learning Hub
From business basics to sector-specific tutorials, users can educate themselves at their own pace, a huge plus for women balancing business and family life.
* Opportunities for Collaboration
Whether it’s co-hosting a product line or sourcing raw materials, the app facilitates real partnerships among women.
What’s Next: The Future of “Empower Her”
While the prototype has been praised for its functionality and impact, the women involved in the study had powerful suggestions for its next phase:
* Tailor-made education programmes: Courses in finance, marketing, baking, fashion design, and more — all online, bite-sized, and practical.
* Integrated financial tools: Budget trackers, business calculators, and direct chat access to microfinance institutions.
* E-commerce features: A built-in marketplace to sell products and manage orders.
* Wellness and work-life balance tools: Tips on time management, mental health, exercise, and mindfulness.
* A space for social empowerment: Opportunities to support other women, share success stories, and give back to society.
These ideas are not just wishful thinking. They reflect a generation of Sri Lankan women ready to lead — not just in business, but in community transformation.
A Ripple Effect Beyond Business
Empowerment is not only about personal gain. When a woman becomes economically independent, the impact spreads: to her family, her children, her community, and even national development. Studies show that empowered women reinvest in education, healthcare, and local economies.
As one entrepreneur beautifully put it:
“We need to give back to society by helping the needy as much as we can.”
Empower Her is not just about business. It’s about building confidence, creating connections, and fostering change.
Towards a Digitally Empowered Future
There’s no doubt: the future of entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka is female, digital, and collaborative. But to make that future real, tools like Empower Her must be scaled, supported, and continuously improved.
This initiative is a call to action, for developers to build inclusive tech, for policymakers to invest in digital infrastructure, and for communities to uplift women who dream of more.
As we move forward, we must remember: when you empower a woman, you don’t just change her life. You change the world around her.
By;
Thilini De Silva, Dean – Faculty of Business, NSBM Green University, [email protected]
Sachin PamudithaDewantha, Final Year Undergraduate,
NSBM Green University,
[email protected]
Henrik Hansson, Professor, Department of Computer and System Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden, [email protected]
The research article published can be viewed at: https://doi.org/10.34190/icgr.8.1.3260
