Entrepreneurship, Employment & Economic Empowerment for Youth (E4Y)

The E4Y (Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Economic Empowerment for Youth) program is currently being rolled out in four West African countries : Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Togo. Its objective is to identify and support high-potential SMEs and groups in agricultural value chains in order to stimulate youth employment, with a particular focus on young women, strengthen their economic autonomy, and develop entrepreneurship in the agribusiness sector. The program is based on three complementary pillars: access to finance, access to skills and services, and access to markets.

• Strengthening SMEs in the agribusiness sector Identify and support local champions in the agricultural value chain to boost growth and employment.

• Create 49,000 decent jobs The program aims to create, maintain, or consolidate 49,000 jobs, with a 70% focus on young women.

• Improving access to financing for young people and women Remove barriers that prevent young people, women, and SMEs excluded from traditional channels from accessing financial resources.

• Increasing access to markets and skills Strengthen entrepreneurs' skills, facilitate their access to experts and services, and connect their products to formal markets and new networks.