Achievements

Business Creation and Development

The project aimed to help young graduates, particularly women, create or develop their own businesses by overcoming obstacles such as access to bank loans and quality support services. Four support branches were set up to meet different needs:

1. Young entrepreneurs in all sectors except general trade.
2. Entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses.
3. Assistance during the COVID crisis.
4. Entrepreneurs starting environmentally-friendly businesses.

Over time, eligibility criteria broadened to include more young people with diverse qualifications. These branches offered technical and financial support and connections with other industry players.

Support for Business Services Provided by FACEJ Facilitators

FACEJ supported facilitators in their mission to help young businesses. As FACEJ partners, they provided services to entrepreneurs and monitored the proper use of funds. FACEJ enhanced this support by:

• Providing regular coaching sessions by field coordinators.
• Organizing group workshops to discuss best practices.
• Conducting training sessions.
• Providing tools and studies, especially on value chains, to target promising projects.

These resources were adapted to the facilitators' needs, harmonizing management tools for easier monitoring and control by FACEJ.

Improving Banking Accessibility

FACEJ aimed to improve young people's access to the banking system by partnering with banks and MFIs. The project encouraged young people to open bank accounts, take out loans, and repay them to benefit from FACEJ grants. 

Partner banks were selected based on interest rates, monitoring arrangements, and their ability to operate in the project's areas. A tripartite collaboration protocol was established between FACEJ, the bank, and the young entrepreneur, defining loan conditions, account opening procedures, and repayment monitoring.

Supporting Networking Among Young Entrepreneurs

FACEJ set up various communication tools to facilitate exchanges among young entrepreneurs:

• A dedicated website providing project information and access to facilitators.
• Facebook and YouTube channels broadcasting videos promoting entrepreneurship, particularly among women, and highlighting innovative, eco-friendly businesses.
• A mobile app for direct exchanges between young people, promoting information and experience sharing.
• WhatsApp groups for disseminating information and accessing training.
• Networking workshops to enable young entrepreneurs to share experiences and establish strategic contacts.
• Support for participation in fairs, festivals, and TV programs to raise the profile of their initiatives.
• Specific training courses on positive masculinity to change young men's perceptions of women.
• The annual FACEJ SUGU festival to promote project activities and supported companies.

The results were positive: the unsponsored FACEJ page generated over 4,000 interactions during the FACEJ SUGU festival, reaching over 120,000 people with over 5,000 likes. Videos, particularly those created by young women, gained popularity. Workshop participants used these opportunities to develop their skills and expand their networks, contributing to their personal and professional growth.