The SME Development Finance Corporation (SDFC) has announced plans to launch a dedicated Financing Scheme for Women Entrepreneurs, opening for applications in November 2025. The initiative aims to encourage more women to venture into business by offering accessible financial support to help establish and expand women-led enterprises.
The scheme is designed to promote women’s economic independence and strengthen their participation across various sectors. Through flexible and affordable financing, SDFC hopes to empower women to create sustainable ventures and enhance their contribution to the national economy.
According to SDFC, applications will be accepted through the SME Portal, with further details to be released in the coming days.
The upcoming initiative builds upon SDFC’s ongoing efforts under the Fashaa Madhadhu Loan Scheme, introduced in 2024 in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Ministry of Social and Family Development. The scheme allocates a total of MVR 100 million, distributed across five phases of MVR 20 million each, with 25 per cent of each phase reserved for persons with disabilities.
In the first phase, 63 recipients received financing, including four persons with disabilities, across 16 atolls. Funded businesses spanned 13 sectors, from retail and food production to handicrafts, education, and health services. SDFC reported that nearly half of these businesses are now operational, with ongoing support provided to the rest.
The second phase, which ran between June and August 2025, received 205 applications, of which eight have been approved and 47 are under processing. With the full allocation already utilised, 110 applications are currently waitlisted.
Commenting on the new women’s scheme, SDFC Managing Director Badhurudheen Hassan said it would open new opportunities for aspiring women entrepreneurs. “This scheme opens a pathway for Maldivian women entrepreneurs to showcase their skills and capabilities. By providing financial assistance with easy and flexible repayment terms, it enables women to step into the business sector, establish their own ventures, and contribute to sustainable economic progress,” he said.
The new financing scheme marks another step in SDFC’s broader mission to strengthen entrepreneurship across the Maldives, ensuring inclusive participation in the country’s economic growth.
