Business a.m.
The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) has launched the ‘Investing in Women in Benin’ (IIW-Benin) programme, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at advancing women’s empowerment in Benin, supported by a CAN $6 million investment from Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
The programme aims to economically empower women as entrepreneurs in high-impact climate-positive sectors in technological innovation, digital technology, smallholder farmers, producers, processors, crafts, and trade to remove the obstacles that prevent them from contributing to the development of their activities.
The programme also seeks to improve women entrepreneurs’ participation and economic resilience in a greener economy in Benin. This includes access to finance for women-owned SMEs, women’s cooperatives, and emerging women entrepreneurs; improving the capacity of women owners and managers of SMEs and women’s cooperatives to sustainably develop the value chains in which they primarily work, using climate-smart approaches; and overcoming entrenched social and cultural resistance to women’s empowerment at national, sectoral and community levels.
The Investing in Women in Benin targets at least four women-led small and medium-sized SMEs, a minimum of two microfinance institutions, and five women’s cooperatives. It will train 2,500 women through cooperatives and another 2,000 micro-entrepreneurs, artisans, small agricultural producers, processors, and distributors who will benefit from micro-loans for climate-smart agricultural production. Additionally, the programme aims to assist 24,250 individuals, 80 percent of whom are women, in improving their income through collaboration with investment beneficiaries and cooperatives. Support will also be provided to 50 members of women’s rights organisations.
Commenting on the initiative, Victoria Sabula, CEO of the AECF said,“Investing in Women in Benin is not just a programme—it’s a promise. A promise to economically empower women entrepreneurs in sectors that drive innovation and positively impact our climate. Our goal is clear: to improve the participation and economic resilience of women entrepreneurs in a greener economy. This means breaking down barriers, providing access to finance, enhancing capacity, and challenging entrenched social norms that hinder women’s empowerment.”
Evelyne Dabire, head cooperation & chargée d’Affaires a.i, said; “Empowerment cannot occur in isolation. We need to remove the barriers that limit women’s economic role and provide them with the tools, resources and support they need to succeed. This requires a concerted effort by governments, businesses, civil society, and the international community. Canada is committed to working closely with its partners to promote gender equality, foster a greener economy, and ensure an inclusive and sustainable future.”
The initiative seeks to facilitate the empowerment of women in Benin through a multifaceted approach that includes performance-based grants, funding, and non-financial technical assistance in quality, human rights advocacy, business and management, climate-smart agriculture training, and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
