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Support entrepreneurship in Africa

The European programme MEETAfrica was launched on June 2016. It provides 65 African business creators who graduated in the French higher education system with tailor-made support and follow-up to achieve projects in their country of origin.

80 company projects selected

The business creators come from Algeria, Cameroon, Mali, Morrocco, Senegal or Tunisia and are drawing innovative business projects. On October 19, 2016, 80 young graduates from the French and German higher education system were selected as part of the European programme MEETAfrica to benefit from customised support in order to achieve their project creation. Among the laureates, 65 studied in France.

Projects are diverse and span in agribusiness, renewable energies, mobile applications, contactless payment, health and others. The laureates share the same ambition: to participate in the social-economic development in their country.

"Made in Senegal" baby food

Siny Samba is one of the laureates of the programme. After passing a BTS degree (equivalent to HND) in agronomy, the young 24 years-old Senegalese entered the National Institute for Superior Studies of Agronomy in Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro) in 2012. She passed her engineer degree in 2016. Her project is to sell an infant food product based on local raw materials in Senegal.

"So far, this type of aliment is imported, but local resources could help produce it onsite", she said. The project was born during Siny's last year of studies in Montpellier. In order to complete her project, she partnered with Rémi Filastò, also a SupAgro graduate. The two young engineers plan to launch their company in one year.

Improving urban waste management in Cameroon

Rafaela Essamba, 32 years old, is also among the laureates of the MEETAfrica programme. She passed a "baccalauréat" in Cameroon, then studied languages and international relations in the University of Strasbourg. She is passionate about sustainable development and is now interested in an eco-friendly management of plastic packaging in the private sector in Africa. Her project? To build a management and recycling company for urban waste in her country of origin.

"Waste management is a critical issue in Cameroon, said the young woman. This project will have an impact on public health, environment, tourism, etc."

15,000 euros for each project

Like Siny and Rafaela, young entrepreneurs eligible to the MEETAfrica programme will have full support for 15 months: market studies, technical and regulatory feasibility study, economic viability assessment and, of course, support to local installation through the development of the network and help to research and financing. The services have a value of 15,000 euros per project guaranteed by all partners in Europe and the countries of implementation of the projects.

The programme was launched in June 2016 as part of the process of Rabat, a dialogue between Europe and Africa on migration and development. It is financed by the European Union, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, and is supervised by Expertise France in association with Campus France, the Research and Develomement Institute (IRD) and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).