Project for the Promotion of Women's Entrepreneurship in Mali

Republic of Mali

Amount: € 294,503.00

Overview

CFEMA's mission was to strengthen the organisational, technical, material and financial capacities of organisations of women traders and entrepreneurs in Mali and to promote the capacities of rural women. The project targeted  business women, women entrepreneurs and unemployed women living in disadvantaged rural areas. Training was provided to women in all aspects of running an effective business and engaging with ECOWAS and the West African Economic and Monetary Union as well as mastering the basics of international trade for cross-border activities. The leadership programme enabled women to gain knowledge of various leadership aspects and the gender training workshop provided training in Gender and Women's Entrepreneurship. The project thus addressed Agenda 2063’s aspirations of a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and development that is sustainable and people-driven and which unleashes the potential of its women and youth.

Key results

• CFEMA empowered 240 women from the eight regions of Mali and the District of Bamako with skills on at least one of the following modules: identification of a business idea, how to create a company, how to manage it effectively, marketing, procurement, inventory management, costing, accounting, financial planning, human resource management and productivity improvement.
• The leadership programme enabled 270 women to gain knowledge of leadership issues including how to align a company’s vision, mission and values.
• The project also empowered to 240 women on computer skills, basic accounting and marketing, 30 women participated in mounting exhibitions at commercial events overseas, and 60 women received training on how to collect data to support commercial activities.
• A workshop was held for 30 women on how to address regional economic trade issues as well as on how to master the basics of international trade for cross-border activities and the rules governing business in ECOWAS and the West African Economic and Monetary Union.