The role of multilingual training in advancing women entrepreneurship in South African townships and rural areas

Abstract

This PRISMA-guided review synthesises evidence from 32 studies on how multilingual training supports women’s entrepreneurship in South African townships and rural areas. We focus on post-2010 literature from South Africa and comparable African contexts to examine the intersection of language, culture and capability-building in entrepreneurship support. Findings show that integrating indigenous languages and bilingual facilitation into training improves comprehension, confidence and customer reach; strengthens access to markets, finance and networks; and contributes to higher start-up participation and business resilience. Multilingualism emerges not only as a communicative aid but as a strategic resource that enhances inclusion, opportunity recognition and market insight. Policy and ecosystem factors such as public SME support and mobile enabled learning moderate these effects. We argue for language-sensitive curricula, co-delivery with community partners and targeted localisation of digital content. The review highlights design elements for more inclusive entrepreneurship development and outlines implications for policy and training providers. Keywords: multilingual training; women’s entrepreneurship; South Africa; language barriers; rural development; PRISMA.