Micro Rainbow Fairs for LBTQI+ Women in Brazil
Micro Rainbow Fairs for LBTQI+ Women project empowered 175 entrepreneurs across Brazil, generating over R$67,000 in income.
24 July 2026
LGBTI equality through economic empowerment
Micro Rainbow International Foundation’s previous studies into LGBTI poverty in Cambodia, Brazil and among refugees in the United Kingdom have supported the argument that there is a link between discrimination based on sexuality or gender identity and poverty.
They also show that when poverty is combined with multiple forms of discrimination, such as gender, race, class and, most importantly, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status, there develops a reality of massive socio-economic inequality and exclusion. Put simply, LGBTI people pay a higher price to step out of poverty.
After piloting and testing activities for over five years, we have shaped an LGBTI-centred economic empowerment and advocacy programme which includes the following activities:
Our economic empowerment programme is already showing three interesting results:
It provides new data and life stories that are powerful tools for local advocacy for better rights.
Micro Rainbow Fairs for LBTQI+ Women project empowered 175 entrepreneurs across Brazil, generating over R$67,000 in income.
Thalyne Malta has been a standout participant in MRIF’s Brazilian programmes, leading to her producing the Amazônia Criativa fair.
Micro Rainbow International Foundation is celebrating 10 years of impact and transformative work in Brazil.
Bruni took part in MRIF’s 9th entrepreneurship training, and the lessons learned helped her become the businesswoman she is today!
Learn about Andressa’s business – Borboleta Jeitosa – and how support from Micro Rainbow Foundation helped it reach new heights of success.
MRIF implemented the LGBTIQ+ Business Acceleration Programme between March and June 2025. Read this article learn more about the impact of this programme.
Discover Itacira’s inspiring story and learn how she was empowered to start and succeed in her own business.
MRIF’s Brasil team contributed crucial insights to new scholarship by Monica Malta of the University of Toronto.
Learn about the impacts of the training in the lives and businesses of our beneficiaries and how we facilitated the participation of many LGBTQI entrepreneurs in small business fairs throughout the country.
Find out how Thalyne, who concluded our 9th small business training and our 2nd Acceleration Programme in Brazil, was able to expand her business and organize the first LGBTIQ+ business fair in the north of the country.
Ian is a trans entrepreneur from Brazil who joined our training during the pandemic in the hopes of improving his business skills. Find out how he managed to expand his business, open his own vegan restaurant and increase his income more than 10 times in less than a year.
In August 2022 we concluded our 9th small business training in Brazil, breaking frontiers to increase support for LGBTQI entrepreneurs in the north of the country and with a greater age diversity.
Macuco, a lesbian craft beer business from the south of Brazil which managed to overcome the damages of the pandemic, boost their sales and expand their brand after attending our first Business Acceleration Programme, in partnership with Meta and Aliança Nacional LGBTI+.
Between September 2021 and April 2022, we held our first Business Acceleration Programme for LGBTQI entrepreneurs in Brazil, in partnership with Meta and Aliança Nacional LGBTI.
On May 2022, we started our 9th small business training for low-income LGBTQI people in Brazil. Find out how the selection process went and how we hope to support 42 entrepreneurs across all regions of the country, including the most vulnerable members of our community, in the development of their small businesses and improvement of livelihoods.
Launch of the in-country implementation of the regional project, (IM)PART, advocating for LGBTQI social and economic inclusion
Wanessa is a trans woman living in poverty in Rio de Janeiro. After undertaking MRIF’s small business training in 2020, her life changed completely. Training enabled her to improve her skills, increase her income and overcome barriers and fears.
We provided direct support to 60 LGBTQI Cambodians during Covid-19.
MRIF held its eighth training for low-income LGBTI entrepreneurs in Brazil between April and July 2021. Giving hope to our beneficiaries amid the pandemic and increased support networks for LGBTI entrepreneurs across the country.
Online training to provide business skills to 15 lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Phnom Penh
It’s time to fully understand and leverage the economic development and MDB community to advance economic empowerment for LGBTI people. This guide informs CSOs so that they can advance LGBTI economic empowerment through the World Bank.
MRIF started its 8th small business course for low-income LGBTI entrepreneurs in Brazil. This was our first online course with participants from across the country and the demand for places was unprecedented.
In August 2020, Micro Rainbow International Foundation ran an online survey to better understand the impact of Covid-19 on our beneficiaries and other low-income LGBTI entrepreneurs in Brazil.
MRIF held its first online training for low-income LGBTI entrepreneurs in Brazil between June and August 2020. Find out how the training enabled participants to mitigate negative impacts of Covid-19 in their businesses and personal lives.
International development banks are starting to move forward with more LGBTI inclusive policies. The MRIF has played a major role in advocating for these changes and will continue to make sure there is an LGBTI seat at the table.
Online training for Brazilian LGBTI entrepreneurs in poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Four students from Micro Rainbow International Foundation’s small business training in Brazil were able to launch three new social businesses thanks to a crowd-funding campaign organised by our partner All Out.
Contributing to advancing LGBTI rights in Cambodia by engaging with the government and lobbying the World Bank.
The impact of MRIF’s 6th small-business course for LGBTI entrepreneurs in Rio de Janeiro and how it contributed to their socio-economic empowerment amid Brazil’s crisis.
