Empowering Indonesia’s women entrepreneurs with Nokia Life+

Nokia is pioneering a new service that aims to empower women entrepreneurs who are running, or hope to start, micro-businesses in Indonesia by providing free business advice and information through their mobile phones.

In partnership with the operator Indosat, part of the Qtel Group, and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Nokia are launching Usaha Wanita, which loosely translates in the local Bahasa language as ‘Business Women’. The new service will be available through the Nokia Life+ web app.

Nokia Life+ was launched in English this September to 18 countries around the world. The first two services offered were ‘Life Skills’ and ‘Live Healthy’, aimed at urban youth. Usaha Wanita is designed specifically for the needs of Indonesian women entrepreneurs, recognising the crucial role they play in Indonesia’s economy. Through Nokia Life+, Usaha Wanita will give thousands of women micro-entrepreneurs useful information in their local language on topics such as business management, banking, how to get a loan, customer service and marketing. Interpersonal communication and other life skills are also part of Usaha Wanita, which is available exclusively to current Indosat customers. The service is being offered for free for the first 12 months, although data charges may apply.

The information for the service was developed with an NGO called the Foundation for Social Change.

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