Mentorship beyond funding: Building women’s professional leadership pathways

When Wedu listens deeply to its community, meaningful programmes take shape. The Mentorship for Career and Professional Development for Income Sharing Agreement (ISA) Members programme, launched in May 2025, grew directly from what ISA members shared during the 2024 Annual Check-In calls and from the findings of an external evaluation, which emphasised the value of wraparound support. Financial support opens doors, but progressing in one’s career often requires clarity, strategy and confidence—areas where mentorship becomes essential.

The six-month pilot brought together 39 ISA members and received an outstanding Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +60. This matters because NPS is a widely recognised measure of participant satisfaction and programme effectiveness; a score above +50 typically signals strong trust and enthusiasm. In practice, it means that 75% of mentees would highly recommend the experience, indicating that the structure, content and relationships built within the programme delivered meaningful value.

Bridging the gap between financial and professional support

To address the gap between financial and professional support, Wedu developed six region-specific mentorship modules and a comprehensive guide that mentors and mentees could adapt to their context. This blend of structure and flexibility proved effective, with 65% of mentees and 60% of mentors using the modules to anchor their conversations. The outcomes speak clearly: 85% of mentees gained clarity on their next career steps, strengthened their decision-making confidence, and made progress toward their goals. Importantly, 85% shared that their mentor provided guidance directly relevant to their aspirations.

For some, the experience was transformative. Siti from Indonesia shared: “My mentor helped me realign my goals and strengthen the foundation of my virtual assistant business. Through our sessions, I developed self-leadership, goal-setting, and professional communication skills that helped me position myself to attract international clients.”

Chan from Myanmar focused on navigating immediate work challenges while planning for the long term: “With my mentor’s support, I tackled workplace challenges and took concrete steps toward revamping my family’s business into a rattan handicraft exporting enterprise.”

Learning and leading together

Mentors grew too. Ninety per cent reported enhanced leadership and mentoring abilities, while engagement exceeded expectations—half of mentors and over a third of mentees invested more than the recommended 12 hours over six months. Of the 39 original pairs, 30 completed the programme, and feedback collected will shape future iterations, including stronger peer-to-peer networking, improved communication, and resources tailored for working professionals across time zones. 

The pilot demonstrates a simple truth: when financial support meets strategic mentorship, ISA members gain not just resources, but the confidence, clarity, and skills to advance their careers and contribute meaningfully to their communities.