Empowering women through entrepreneurship: pathways to financial independence
Join us for an interactive session, featuring Davina Patel, Chief Operating Officer of Kids for Kids and current Cambridge Executive MBA 2025 student. Davina will draw on her extensive experience in the social impact sector to explore how entrepreneurship can unlock economic opportunity and drive lasting change for women in some of the world’s most challenging contexts. Combining insights from her work in Darfur, Sudan, with her EMBA journey, Davina will highlight the critical role of access to skills, resources and networks in enabling women to build sustainable livelihoods and become agents of change within their communities.
About Davina Patel, COO of charity Kids for Kids
Davina Patel is Chief Operating Officer of Kids for Kids, an international charity delivering sustainable, community-led programmes that support women and children in Darfur, Sudan. With more than a decade of leadership experience across the social impact sector, she has worked with organisations focused on poverty alleviation, peacebuilding and community transformation.
Currently undertaking the Executive MBA at Cambridge Judge Business School, Davina is passionate about the role entrepreneurship can play in creating lasting social and economic change. Her work combines operational leadership, fundraising, innovation and strategic growth, with a particular focus on empowering women to become agents of change within their communities.
Drawing on experience from both the non-profit and business worlds, Davina believes that entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful tools for advancing gender equality and enabling women to achieve financial independence.
What to expect
For millions of women living in developing countries, particularly those experiencing extreme poverty, entrepreneurship can be a vital pathway to financial independence, resilience and opportunity. Yet these women often face significant barriers, including limited access to education, finance, markets and decision-making power.
In this interactive session, Davina Patel will explore how entrepreneurship can empower women in some of the world’s most challenging environments to generate income, strengthen their families and communities, and create lasting change.
Topics will include:
- why entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for women’s empowerment in low-income and fragile contexts
- the barriers faced by women living in extreme poverty and how these can be overcome
- lessons from community-led programmes supporting women in Darfur, Sudan
- the role of access to assets, skills, finance and networks in enabling women to build sustainable livelihoods
- how social enterprises and purpose-driven organisations can support economic opportunities for women
- practical insights into creating scalable, sustainable solutions that help women achieve greater financial independence
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing women entrepreneurs in developing countries, alongside real-world examples of how entrepreneurship can transform lives, families and communities.
The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A, offering attendees the opportunity to engage directly with Davina, explore key themes in more depth and discuss ideas, challenges and practical applications.