Small business endeavors – Togo
SUPPORTING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS IN TOGO
We support local entrepreneurs in Togo’s distant rural areas in launching and scaling up their business endeavours.
Through developing their own business, these people make an effort to find a way out of poverty and out of dependency on foreign aid. We help by offering small loans and education in business skills.
Action10 runs the programme in cooperation with HR&S and our local partner L&D.
SMALL LOANS AND EDUCATION IN BUSINESS SKILLS TO VILLAGERS
Lack of capital, rather than ideas, restricts people from setting up their own businesses.
With the help of small loans to develop a business, villagers can improve their living standards. Apart from giving them loans, we also train them in the necessary skills to create a sustainable business for the long term.
In such a way, they can provide for their life and family also after Action10 support ends.
BENEFITS FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY – CREATING LOCAL MARKETS AND SCALING-UP THROUGH EDUCATION
With the small loans and education in business skills that Action10, HR&S, and L&D offer, local entrepreneurs can launch a small-scale business. It can be anything from producing and selling food, drinks, medicine, and clothing to attending to people’s hair.
Sharing knowledge and business skills with these entrepreneurs in Togo is just as important as the loan itself.
Our previous partner for this programme, S.E.VIE, has created a bespoke training programme, suited to local people’s learning needs. It gives the programme participants long-lasting knowledge about earning a profit, saving, and reinvesting into the business.
The gained knowledge and business skills can result in a higher standard of living, increased access to health care and education for children.
HOW THE MONEY FROM LOANS IS REUSED
The entrepreneurs are organized into groups. Together they share a collective responsibility for meeting loan repayments. Therefore, if one entrepreneur is not able to make a repayment one week, the group will pay it back on time.
The 99% repayment rate on loans at the beginning of the programme contributed to its financial sustainability.
Loans are collected every week, and money can be given out again immediately.
This means that when the loan is paid back, another person receives resources to start his/her business.
Action10 receives 10% annual interest on the loans to cover the costs of coaching L&D, while the extra profit becomes L&D´s income.
THE PROGRAMME ACHIEVEMENTS – 330 PEOPLE STARTED SMALL BUSINESSES
Since 2012, when we established this programme, 330 people have taken a small loan. As a result, they started various businesses, such as sales of maize, beans, and cakes, as well as sales of apparel (bags, clothes, and shoes).
USER-DRIVEN PROGRAMME, ACCOUNTABILITY MANAGEMENT, AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY
All Action10 programmes are user-driven. It means that the partners and local social entrepreneurs ideate, initiate, and manage the programme.
Accountability management is one of our ActionAreas. We offer this service to our loan takers and partners. Read more about how we work regarding accountability management and sustainable economy on Human Rights & Science website.