Programme · Afghanistan
Redsalt Afghanistan
Catalysing inclusive economic growth through investment in women-led ventures.
of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan receive any kind of bank loan. The rest build their businesses without formal finance.
Context
A resilient community of women entrepreneurs
Across Afghanistan, women are building businesses in agriculture, food processing, handicrafts and other sectors – supporting their families and sustaining entire local economies.
Despite their ambition and resilience, access to capital remains one of the greatest barriers to scaling their impact. Formal banks are not an option for most women entrepreneurs: the barriers are too high – missing licences, lack of collateral, no compliant products.
At a glance
A missing middle, sharpened
Banks are out of reach
Missing licences, no collateral, no compliant products. Only 5% of women entrepreneurs receive any kind of bank loan.
A deep financing gap
Too large for microcredit, too risky for commercial investors, too entrepreneurial for humanitarian aid. This missing middle is especially pronounced for women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.
Compliant patient capital
Redsalt provides capital that is compliant with Islamic finance principles – investing directly in women-led businesses and sharing in their growth rather than charging interest.
Our approach
Aligning patient capital with local compliance requirements
Our model combines patient capital with long-term partnership, helping entrepreneurs access financing that aligns with both their business realities and financial regulations.
- 1We invest directly into businesses
- 2We share business risk alongside entrepreneurs
- 3We support productive economic activity
- 4We take a partnership-oriented approach
- 5We focus on social impact and economic empowerment
The team
Talk to us about the programme
The Redsalt Afghanistan programme is led by Dîlan Yazicioglu. Entrepreneurs, partners and co-investors are welcome to get in touch.