The third day of the BE YES program's national tour took the General Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship for Women and Youth (DER/FJ) to several locations in the north of the country. Led by the General Delegate, Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj, this field visit included presentations of results, discussions with beneficiaries, and overviews of funded projects.

Matam: Consolidating achievements and looking towards a new phase

The first stop of the day, Matam, welcomed the DER departmental delegation. The mayor's representative opened the meeting. She highlighted the funding secured by the local population, particularly for women, young people, and people with disabilities. She expressed her hope that this momentum would continue: "I hope that this meeting will lead to further funding and that the beneficiaries will repay their loans so that other women can benefit."

The head of the local office presented a summary of the first phase. The department has trained 442 beneficiaries, funded 13 individual businesses and 21 economic interest groups (EIGs). The total amount of funding reached 49,611,000 FCFA. The number of jobs created stands at 223. The repayment rate is 84%.

Current funding amounts to 32,300,000 FCFA. This funding supports 19 Economic Interest Groups (EIGs) and 190 jobs currently being created. Total funding is estimated at 81,911,000 FCFA for 40 EIGs and 13 sole proprietorships. A total of 413 jobs have been created, 81% of which are held by women and 10% by people with disabilities. 442 people have received training, 82% of whom are women and 5% of whom have disabilities. The amount disbursed is 8,329,725 FCFA.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj highlighted the involvement of the decentralized services: “I would like to thank all the services that helped the head of the local branch to effectively source participants. We know that thanks to you, this social action has made a significant contribution.” She noted that the steps of the program—namely, “training, formalization, and funding”—were successfully completed thanks to their involvement.

The general delegate then outlined the priorities for the next phase: “I hope that the second phase will focus on consolidating projects, especially in industrialization and cattle fattening. I hope to see the emergence of leading companies in this department.” She also expressed her gratitude to the administrative authorities: “I would like to convey my sincere thanks to you, Mr. Prefect, for assisting the head of the local office, who cannot handle all these preliminary tasks alone.”

The general delegate stressed the need to repay the loans: "But above all, I want you to continue paying the debts in order to perpetuate this project and allow other women to benefit from it. We will continue to be there for you to train you, formalize your business and finance you."

In his address, the deputy prefect, Youssoupha Sèye, appealed to the beneficiaries to continue to keep the department among the top performers in the program.

The visit to the stands offered an overview of diverse activities, ranging from market gardening to the processing of cereal products, including sewing and pottery.

Podor: a crucial level of reimbursement for the continuation of the program

The delegation then headed to Podor, where they were welcomed by the mayor's representative, Assane Yaba Mbodj. He commended the presence of the DER/FJ in the department. The head of the local office presented the program's indicators. The first phase resulted in 406 trained beneficiaries, 22 individual businesses, and 22 Economic Interest Groups (EIGs) receiving funding. The total funding amounted to 50,531,200 FCFA. 242 jobs were consolidated, with a repayment rate of 78%. Ongoing funding totaled 27,200,000 FCFA for 16 EIGs and 160 jobs currently being created. The overall funding for this phase amounted to 77,731,200 FCFA for 38 EIGs and 22 individual businesses. 402 jobs were created, 80% of which were held by women and 5% by people with disabilities. 406 people were trained, 80% of whom were women and 2% had disabilities. The amount recovered was 6,715,350 FCFA.

The testimony of a beneficiary illustrated these results. Ibrahima Hamadou Anne, president of the "Wéthiaké ma fierté" Economic Interest Group (GIE), indicated that he had made a profit of 600,000 FCFA in onion production. He specified that he had repaid his loan two months before the due date. The group now plans to venture into rice cultivation with additional support.

Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj addressed the department's position in the second phase: "The fact that you were chosen for the second phase reassures me because the departments that didn't manage to exceed the 70% threshold didn't have this opportunity. And seeing that Podor has succeeded in this endeavor is reassuring." She encouraged young people to pursue agricultural activities, specifying that support will cover equipment, infrastructure, and financing.

The sub-prefect, representing the prefect, Amadoune Diop, reaffirmed the authorities' commitment: "I can assure you that the local elected officials are dedicated to justice." He urged the beneficiaries to honor their commitments, particularly regarding loan repayments. An exhibition showcased projects in market gardening and agri-food processing.

Dagana: High results and transformation needs

The delegation then stopped in Dagana, the last stop of the day. The vice-president of the departmental council addressed the difficulties related to marketing certain agricultural products. She advocated for the establishment of processing units.

Subsequently, the head of the local office presented the program's results. The first phase resulted in 406 trained beneficiaries, 3 individual businesses, and 21 Economic Interest Groups (EIGs). The total funding amounted to 39,513,900 FCFA. 213 jobs were created, and the repayment rate was 91%.

Current funding amounts to 27,200,000 FCFA for 16 Economic Interest Groups (EIGs) and the creation of 160 jobs. Total funding is 66,713,900 FCFA for 37 EIGs and 3 sole proprietorships. A total of 373 jobs have been created, 73% of which are held by women and 7% by people with disabilities. 406 people have received training, 78% of whom are women and 6% of whom have disabilities. The amount recovered is 6,832,735 FCFA.

Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj praised the department's results: "In Dagana, the results were conclusive, and there is a good collection rate. I am very satisfied with that." Regarding the desire to see processing units established in the department, the general delegate expressed her readiness to support them in this endeavor. "We want to create champions in production and champions in processing. Because we want to achieve food self-sufficiency," she said.

As a reminder, the BE YES program, funded by the Mastercard Foundation with USD 10 million over two years, plans to establish seven innovation hubs and fourteen creativity spaces in the fourteen regions of Senegal. It aims to stimulate entrepreneurial skills and multi-sectoral innovation among young people, with a focus on young women, people with disabilities, and returning migrants.