Edito
Social entrepreneurs
Improving access for vulnerable populations to food and other basic needs such as healthcare, education and housing requires, in particular, the promotion of entrepreneurship.
In this area, we pay particular attention to the economic initiative of young people, but also of women, as we have observed that they devote a larger portion of their income to the basic needs of their families, particularly their children, but also to supporting their communities.
In the spirit of Louvain Coopération, entrepreneurship is not limited to the economic sphere but also, and above all, covers the social sphere. As such, we support our partners' initiatives that aim to have a social impact on society. And these initiatives are often led by women, as evidenced by Palmira, Fessoribe and Euphrasie, directors of our local partners Esperanza in Bolivia, UCMECS in Togo and CUFORE in Burundi.
Finally, Louvain Coopération also promotes social intrapreneurship (entrepreneurship within existing structures)! And there are some strong examples of initiatives led by women, both within our teams and in our collaborations with UCLouvain.
We would like to thank these female entrepreneurs who maximise the usefulness of the resources we are able to mobilise for projects that have a social and economic impact on their families, communities and societies across four continents. Their revolution is underway, and Louvain Coopération supports it. Support it with us!
Vincent Henin
Project monitor
Last May, we presented a project to support agriculture and craftsmanship in southern Burundi. In a few months, it will come to an end. We therefore wanted to show you the concrete impact and sustainability of an initiative that you have supported with us.
Louvain Coopération has been present in Burundi since 2003 and, despite years of civil war and the most recent political tensions in 2015, the UCLouvain NGO remains active in this country where the needs are enormous.
To support the population, we are running a large-scale project (PROVAPA-TUGWIZAKAZI) to assist farmers and artisans in order to increase and diversify family incomes, but also to promote job creation. This project is supported by the European Union and is being implemented in the south of the country (in the provinces of Makamba and Rutana), a region where associations are usually less present and which currently hosts many returnees from Tanzania.
In concrete terms, the aim is to increase families' agricultural production so that they can eat enough throughout the year and earn an income by selling their surplus. This involves distributing livestock, providing training, supporting the production of adequate tools and quality seeds, etc. In addition, young people and women are supported in setting up profitable economic activities (trade, hairdressing, baking, beekeeping, sewing, carpentry, mechanics, blacksmithing, welding and basketry) through training and tools. All these sectors provide employment not only for the entrepreneur, but also for their neighbours.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, thousands of children living on the streets are subjected to completely unacceptable conditions. Louvain Coopération is running two projects, in Kinshasa and Bukavu, to try to rescue as many of them as possible from the hell of street life. Last year, we helped more than a thousand children. Here is the story of Daniel, one of them.
5 "There was violence in my village, near Virunga National Park (eastern DRC). Everyone was afraid and fleeing. It was chaos. I was still small and lost my parents in the crowd." This is Daniel's story. This terrible episode left him alone and he had no choice but to live on the streets with other children. He lived there for three years. During the day, he collected scrap metal and sold it to get a little money to eat. At night, he slept outside, under market stalls for protection. He survived this way until he walked through the door of the Don Bosco centre, a partner of Louvain Coopération in Bukavu. There, he was cared for, fed and housed. After much searching, the educators found his father, who was living in a refugee camp in Kenya. Today, Daniel is 19 years old and is training to be a mechanic so that he can build a new future for himself.
‘Women entrepreneurs are rare here. If it works, people say it's thanks to the husband. And if it doesn't work, they make fun of the woman!’ Despite this, some women take the plunge and manage to create a virtuous circle around their idea and their work. Louvain Coopération supports these women who dare to take action to change their destiny.
Irène, DRC
Irène, 43, mother of eight children, set up her workshop along a small road in the Kabare area of South Kivu. "As a woman, it was important for me to create something for my independence. So I decided to start this small business. We produce baskets that prevent women from having to carry the food they buy at the market in the cloth that ties their hair. It's much more practical and hygienic! We also make braziers that consume less embers. I know that we need to limit wood cutting for the sake of the environment, and I also know that several of my neighbours have been raped while collecting wood in the forest. Thanks to my braziers, they don't have to go there as often..." Irène employs several people, including women who have been rejected by society and children who are on their own, enabling them to pay for their school fees. The Guichet d'Économie Locale (GEL), a partner of Louvain Coopération in South Kivu, supported Irène in setting up this business. "It allowed me to broaden my thinking and my project. I now own a plot of land where I find the clay for my braziers and I have better control over my income. Every month, I receive a visit from the GEL team. We talk and they point out things I can improve." Today, Irene has become a proud and respected woman who can take part in her community's decisions.<:P>
Giorgia, Bolivia
Giorgia lives alone with her son on the outskirts of Oruro, Bolivia. Without an income and in need, she joined the ‘Las Abejitas’ cooperative and started producing and selling pastries. Louvain Coopération and its local partner Aprosar supported her in this venture with technical and management training. "Thanks to this support, especially the technical advice on confectionery, I have been able to diversify my products: cake preparation and decoration, fine pastries, biscuits... The quality and presentation of my products have improved, making me more competitive. As a result, my sales and income have increased! I can now cover my household expenses, save a little and give my son a better chance to study and live properly."
Suzanne, Benin
Suzanne lives in the small village of Cobly, in northern Benin, where the population lives mainly from agriculture. "I started my small business in 2004. At first, I grew rice and yams and owned a few goats. But I wanted to work harder and produce more. So I sought help from Louvain Coopération's Local Economy Desk. This organisation supports small entrepreneurs with administrative and financial procedures. Thanks to this support, Suzanne was able to apply to various organisations and obtain a micro-loan. "This money enabled me to buy equipment to process my rice: tarpaulins, a plastic barrel, a steaming kit, pots, an improved stove... I can now sell my rice in the village and I also make arrangements with the ladies who work in school canteens to buy my products." Month after month, Suzanne has managed to invest wisely to make her small business grow. She has become an example in the region. "I have enough to live on, so I help other villagers to pay for their children's school fees and health insurance. I have also bought three houses where I take in children who go to school far from home. It seems natural to me to help others, because I too was helped when I needed it. I hope that they too will be able to grow, sustain themselves and share what they have learned.‘ And when Suzanne is asked what she hopes for the future, she simply replies: ’I hope that these children will succeed and live well. When a child succeeds, the whole community wins."