Gojek launched the “Small Shops Weather Big Storms” campaign in Vietnam on November 1, an inclusive initiative to help micro-entrepreneurs improve their livelihoods by going digital.

Through the initiative, tens of thousands of micro-merchants in Vietnam will gain access to an online repository of digital and financial tools, which will help them successfully set up and run a small food business online. Gojek will also partner with the Vietnam Women’s Union in Ho Chi Minh City to empower and upskill female entrepreneurs to leverage e-commerce and access new income-earning opportunities and help reduce barriers to socio-economic growth.

With an extensive portal of resources, “Small Shops Weather Big Storms” aims to provide micro-merchants with the tools to build stronger, more resilient and digitally-enabled businesses, helping them stay abreast of market trends and changing consumer needs.

From target audience identification and stock and pricing strategy to managing inventory, marketing, packaging, delivery and more, the portal is a one-stop-shop for food merchants. Users can also access and be inspired by success stories of dozens of Vietnamese micro-entrepreneurs who built successful businesses from their own kitchen simply by going digital.

Through the partnership with the Vietnam Women’s Union in Ho Chi Minh City, Gojek will provide entrepreneurial skills training to 200 female micro-merchants, focusing on financial planning, business management, and how to manage an online store.

Following the completion of the training series, entrepreneurs will have the option to start their own food business on GoFood, Gojek’s online food delivery platform, providing them with access to the millions of consumers transacting on Gojek. Gojek will continue to support these merchants, helping to accelerate their online business journey through personalized onboarding assistance and exclusive marketing campaigns as well as favorable incentives.

According to Mr. Phung Tuan Duc, Country General Manager of Gojek Vietnam, ongoing economic uncertainty has created significant challenges for micro-merchants. As such, it is vital for traditional micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to transform into digital businesses in line with changes in consumer behavior and purchasing patterns.

Gojek also sees that driving digital transformation requires technological support coupled with education and upskilling. “Through this initiative, we hope to empower micro-entrepreneurs, especially female-owned businesses, to leverage and benefit from access to the digital economy, ultimately resulting in increased income-earning opportunities,” Mr. Duc said. “This is aligned with our commitment to supporting MSMEs with comprehensive tools, solutions, and accessibility to grow their business sustainably.”

Ms. Hoa Tran, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Women’s Union and Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Women’s Union, said female-owned MSMEs play an important role in household incomes in Vietnam but many face barriers to digital transformation. “We greatly appreciate Gojek’s efforts to support these micro-entrepreneurs to successfully and sustainably migrate online, which is aligned with our own mission of promoting and enhancing the capabilities of individuals in the digital era,” she said. “We hope this cooperation with Gojek will lay the foundation for future projects that will continue to create a positive impact in our communities.”

“Small Shops Weather Big Storms” is an extension of Gojek Vietnam’s “So No One is Left Behind” campaign series in 2020 and 2021. The series saw Gojek educate and mentor nearly 100 merchants to help them set up and grow an online food business from scratch on the GoFood platform. As with “So No One is Left Behind”, CafeTek HTV will be the campaign media partner for “Small Shops Weather Big Storms” while Xiaomi will provide support in the form of smartphone photography skills training for participants.