Benin
Gender equality
Promoting gender equality and changing social norms through youth engagement in Benin
The African Management Institute (AMI) has developed a new capacity building program designed for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and is currently evaluating its impact in driving business growth and job creation. FID’s grant will support the pilot implementation in Senegal to test the effectiveness of this approach and its effects on companies from different sectors.
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SMEs account for 90% of all businesses in Africa. Some of the barriers to these SMEs’ survival and growth include a lack of management skills and good business practices, as well as access to capital.
Studies show that theoretical training, focused on the acquisition of general skills, has little effect on the performance of most businesses. AMI's methodology is based on these studies, which have shown that the introduction of certain organizational practices has a direct impact on businesses’ growth and prosperity.
The approach of AMI's "Grow Your Business" training focuses on strengthening three areas: business sustainability, business growth, and job creation.
“Grow Your Business” aims to equip entrepreneurs with core skills, tools, and strategies to grow their businesses, lead teams and diversify revenue streams. This 6 month program is based on a blended learning approach, combining in-person training, group learning, and interactive online webinars. It also gives access to an online platform where practical resources, tools and course materials are made available for business leaders. It can be customized for various languages and markets, including Arabic, French, Swahili, and Wolof.
FID’s funding will support the team in the implementation of a pilot and in the design of a new Randomized Control Trial (RCT) in Senegal to evaluate the effect of the program on targeted communities.
This pilot project will involve 100 companies in Senegal and determine the extent to which it succeeds to:
Projects
Projects funded by FID