The General Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship of Women and Youth (DER/FJ) continues its Be Yes caravan to benefit the Economic Interest Groups (EIGs) benefiting from the Be Yes program. After the departments of Tambacounda, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Gossas and Saint-Louis, the caravan, led by the General Delegate of the DER/FJ, traveled to Kébémer Tivaouane and Thiès to provide funding to the EIGs.

31 EIGs validated in Kébémer

In Kébémer, as in the other stages, the caravan was warmly welcomed by Prefect Ousseynou Mbaye and the population. The ceremony was held in the presence of the Sub-Prefects of Ndande and Sagatta, representatives of the commune and the departmental council, among others.

In the Louga region, 82 economic interest groups (EIGs) were approved for funding under the Be Yes program, including 31 in Kébémer (50% women and 3.9% people with disabilities), 30 in Louga (68% women and 10.0% people with disabilities), and 21 in Linguère (76% women and 9.0% people with disabilities).

The total amount of funding for these 82 EIGs, 64% of which are women and 8% people with disabilities, is estimated at 139,400,000 FCFA, or 52,700,000 for Kébémer; 51,000,000 for Louga; and 35,700,000 for Linguère. Here, the number of jobs projected by the DER/FJ within the framework of this Be Yes program is 820, including 310 for Kébémer, 300 for Louga; and 210 for Linguère.

Before proceeding with the symbolic presentation of the financing certificates to the beneficiary EIGs, Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj, General Delegate of the DER/FJ, reviewed the many advantages of the Be Yes program. She also wanted to reassure the local authority that, in this program, there can be no diversion of objectives, as a post-financing follow-up service will be put in place.

“The Be Yes program is extremely important and relevant”

The Prefect of Kébémer, for his part, after welcoming the DER/FJ's outreach approach, emphasized the importance of the Be Yes program. "The DER is very close to the people. The Be Yes program is extremely important and relevant, with inclusive criteria that take equity into account," Ousseynou Mbaye said.

21 EIGs financed in Tivaouane for a total of more than 35 million FCFA

In Tivaouane, the number of beneficiary economic interest groups is 21, 75% of which are women and 8.1% are people with disabilities. The funding amount is estimated at 35,700,000 CFA francs, and the projected number of jobs is 210.

Thiès closes with 21 beneficiary EIGs

In the department of Thiès, where the General Delegate of the DER/FJ concluded her 48-hour national caravan, there are 21 beneficiary economic interest groups (EIGs), 73% of which are women and 4.8% of whom are people with disabilities. Here too, each EIG is funded to the tune of 1,700,000 CFA francs. This makes a total of 35,700,000 CFA francs.

A positive assessment

Here, the General Delegate of the DER/FJ, in her closing speech, drew a positive conclusion. For her, beyond the positive testimonies given by the beneficiaries and the prefects of the departments visited, the quality of the welcome in the departmental branches was also noted and praised by all. This is very important.

It should be noted that for this two-day national caravan (September 15 and 16), Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj mobilized all of her colleagues to reassure the beneficiaries of the importance she attaches to this Be Yes program. These include her chief of staff, the director of operations, the administrative and financial director (DAF), the director of the IT system, and the director of communications.

It should also be noted that the Be YES program, implemented by the DER/FJ with the support of the MasterCard Foundation, pays particular attention to the development of collective entrepreneurship through the financing of economic interest groups (EIGs). It is based on an inclusive and territorialized approach aimed at stimulating self-employment and local innovation, by mobilizing the collective dynamics already present in the communities; strengthening territorial equity, by allowing all departments of Senegal, including the most remote, to access the same financing opportunities; and promoting social inclusion, with particular attention paid to young people, women and vulnerable groups, particularly people with disabilities.

In total, 1,000 beneficiary economic interest groups (EIGs) will be formalized and trained by the Be Yes program in Senegal's 46 departments, or an average of nearly 21 EIGs per department. A total of 1,700 million CFA francs will also be mobilized to support their economic activities, enabling the creation and consolidation of nearly 10,000 jobs in various sectors of activity.