After the success of BéniBiz 1: The 2nd phase launched

The top of the 2nd phase of the BéniBiz project was given on Friday 14 October 2022. Its official launch organized, under the supervision of the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Employment Promotion, at the Novotel in Cotonou. Testimonials and a fair of the best products marked the event.

Bénibiz is a project that supports young entrepreneurs in Benin through training and personalized coaching. It is implemented by TechnoServe, a Non-Governmental Organization which intervenes in 29 country for over 50 years. In its first phase more than 5.700 contractors including 56% women were supported with sales growth of more than 130% Come in 2017 and 2022. “Better, more than 10.000 jobs have been created in five years of implementation” exposed Mouna Mbacke, TechnoServe Country Director.

To believe,   the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Benin, the feats were achieved thanks to the approach adopted by the project. “The lesson learned from BéniBiz 1 is that entrepreneurs can increase their revenues and their volumes just by applying the notions of good management practices and good technical practices even without additional financial budget” she congratulates Tjoelker Kleve. The testimonies of the beneficiaries came to corroborate and reinforce the success of BéniBiz. “The coaches immerse themselves in our difficulties and our realities in order to provide us with solutions.” testified Angel Taware, baobab processor, néré and fonio in Malanville. Godwin Agahu, promoter of Wakiza Shuri liqueur said he increased “its turnover of more than 100 %”.

18 entrepreneurs specializing in agribusiness exhibited their products during the ceremony. The representative of the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Employment Promotion (MPMEPE) is delighted with the success of the phase 1 of BéniBiz because it fits perfectly with the objectives of the government. For Dieudonné Alagbé, SMEs remain the lever of economic growth through their ability to create wealth and create jobs>>. Of two partners that are the Swiss cooperation and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, BéniBiz has received support from the European Union along the way thanks to its strategy which strongly integrates the gender approach. A detail that caught the attention of the head of international cooperation Switzerland-Benin, Elisabeth Pitteloud. The 2nd phase which goes, as the first last five years, projects press about 11.000 promoters.

Arnaud ACAKPO (Coll)