New entrepreneurial spirit for youth and women in Burkina Faso - TUUMA

Youth and women make up over two-thirds of the population in Burkina Faso. However, most of them lack the skills and knowledge to seize employment opportunities and challenges when starting a business are considerable.

With the TUUMA project (“work” in the local language), we are supporting local actors to develop an enabling environment for youth- and women-driven micro and small business initiatives in Burkina Faso.

We are contributing two million euros to a total budget of ten million euros and are implementing the project for the European Union (EU).

Promoting local entrepreneurship

Youth and women entrepreneurship are undermined throughout the country by a lack of access to information on market opportunities, relevant vocational and technical trainings, as well as to sound business infrastructures and supporting services. The fast-growing insecurity due to terrorism in the country, especially in the northern regions, makes living conditions for youth and women even more difficult.

TUUMA provides an immediate and integrated response, contributing to employment for youth and women in regions most affected by insecurity and migration in Burkina Faso. It facilitates the creation and development of youth and women-driven micro and small enterprises, the access to market opportunities and relevant vocational trainings. Based on local demands and priorities, the project focuses on the agriculture, livestock farming, environment and handicraft sectors.

TUUMA aims at creating 1,000 micro and small enterprises and 13,000 jobs. We are closely cooperating with local actors such as business associations, vocational education training centres, and regional and local authorities. These organisations can access grants to offer and implement projects promoting youth and women entrepreneurship.