After Tambacounda, the Be Yes caravan, led by the General Delegate of the DER/FJ, traveled this Monday, September 15, through the departments of Kaffrine, Kaolack and Gossas, to symbolically hand over funding to the Economic Interest Groups (EIGs) benefiting from the Be Yes program.

85 Economic Interest Groups (EIGs) validated in Kaffrine for total financing of more than 144 million FCFA

Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj, accompanied by her team, first went to Kaffrine. In this region, according to her, 85 economic interest groups (EIGs) have been approved for a total funding of 144,500,000 FCFA, representing more than 850 projected jobs. These beneficiaries are distributed as follows: Kaffrine 21 EIGs, of which 71% are women and 8.6% are people with disabilities; Koungheul 21 EIGs, of which 74% are women and 5.7% are people with disabilities; Malem Hodar 21 EIGs, of which 77% are women and 4.8% are people with disabilities; and Birkilane 22 EIGs, of which 78% are women and 1.8% are people with disabilities.

Here, the General Delegate of the DER/FJ, first welcomed the strong mobilization of the populations but especially the beneficiaries who were already in training. Returning to the advantages and the objectives of the Be Yes program which, for her, is very enriching, and is in line with the objectives of the DER but also with the objectives of the 2050 agenda.

According to Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj, this is about facilitating the creation of wealth among young people, people with disabilities and women.

67 GIEs validated in the Kaolack region including 23 Guinguinéo

In Kaolack, the General Delegate of the DER/FJ reported that a total of 67 economic interest groups (EIGs) have been approved in the region under the Be Yes program, including 22 for Nioro du Rip, 23 for Guinguinéo, and 22 for Kaolack. The total funding for these beneficiaries is estimated at 113,900,000 CFA francs, including 37,400,000 for Nioro du Rip, 39,100,000 for Guinguinéo, and 37,400,000 for Kaolack. This represents more than 670 projected jobs, including 220 for Kaolack, 230 for Guinguinéo, and 220 for Nioro du Rip.

A post-financing follow-up service will be set up

On site, she reassured the beneficiaries that there will be post-financing follow-up. "There will be a post-financing follow-up service to ensure that what we invested in meets our expectations and that our targets are in this dynamic, and are active in the ecosystem," stressed Dr. Aïssatou Mbodj, in the presence of the Prefect of Kaolack, Latyr Ndiaye.

"The Be Yes program, as it is developed, gives a lot of hope."

The prefect, for his part, after praising the opening of the Kaolack departmental branch of the DER/FJ, maintained that the Be Yes program, as it is developed by its content, gives a lot of hope. Because, he adds, "not only have we targeted young people and women but we have also integrated people with disabilities, which is a criterion of social equity."

63 EIGs validated in the Fatick region

The Fatick region, for its part, has 63 validated economic interest groups (EIGs), including 21 in each department (Fatick, Foundiougne and Gossas). Here, the total amount of funding allocated to these EIGs is estimated at 107,100,000 CFA francs, including 35,700,000 CFA francs for each departmental branch.

Here, the General Delegate of the DER/FJ and her caravan were welcomed in the rain by the prefect and the population.

It should be noted that the Be YES program, implemented by the DER/FJ with the support of the MasterCard Foundation, pays particular attention to the development of collective entrepreneurship through the financing of economic interest groups (EIGs). It is based on an inclusive and territorialized approach aimed at stimulating self-employment and local innovation, by mobilizing the collective dynamics already present in the communities; strengthening territorial equity, by allowing all departments of Senegal, including the most remote, to access the same financing opportunities; and promoting social inclusion, with particular attention paid to young people, women and vulnerable groups, particularly people with disabilities.

In total, 1,000 beneficiary economic interest groups (EIGs) will be formalized and trained by the Be YES program in Senegal's 46 departments, or an average of nearly 21 EIGs per department. A total of 1,700 million CFA francs will also be mobilized to support their economic activities, enabling the creation and consolidation of nearly 10,000 jobs in various sectors of activity.