AfDB and Entreprenarium to launch master classes for 200 women entrepreneurs in Côte d'Ivoire

December 21, 2018

Credits: Info-Afrique

As part of its "Initiative to Promote Access to Financing for Women in Africa" (AFAWA) and in partnership with Entreprenarium, the African Development Bank (AfdB) is launching training sessions for 200 women entrepreneurs in Côte d'Ivoire. Master classes in business management and financial planning will be conducted throughout the week by Entreprenarium at the Bank's premises, benefiting 100 women entrepreneurs. A second week of master class is planned in March 2019 in Abidjan, to train another group of 200 women.

This activity embodies a pan-African pilot initiative between the Bank and Entreprenarium that aims to support 1,000 women entrepreneurs in five African countries. Over the coming months, training sessions will be conducted not only in Côte d'Ivoire (in Abidjan), but also in Gabon (Libreville) in Kenya (Nairobi), South Africa (Johannesburg) and Tunisia (Tunis).

According to the 2014 KPMG Audit Report, only 15% of women are business-owners in Côte d'Ivoire: 36% in agriculture, 34% in commerce and 14% in livestock farming. Ivorian women entrepreneurs face many challenges, particularly in terms of access to financing and training.