ADB/ILO - Objective of the assessment

• February 2006

  • 27 February-10 march 2006, Cameroon
    

    The overall purpose of the study is to assess the constraints and conditions of the business environment for the start-up and growth of women-owned SMEs, as well as to map out the key areas for creating an entrepreneurial environment to foster this business population, and thereby identify the gaps for ADB/ILO supportive interventions and assistance.

    Composition

  • Mme Mokaddem : Investment Economist BAD secteur privé ;
  • Mme Annette Saint Onge: Consultante spécialiste PME ;
  • Mme Simone Desjardins : Consultante Spécialiste finance ;
  • Mme Agathe Telou – Consultante ILO Geneva, Spécialiste Entrepreneuriat féminin.

  Institutions rencontrées

  • 1-Government - SME policy, SME research and statistics, Industry, Trade and Technology, Gender,Economic Development, Finance (Bank Act and government-backed loan guarantee programmes) and Micro finance outreach, Government supported agencies with a mandate to support micro, small and medium-size enterprises
  • 2-MSE and Business Associations - Associations for Women Entrepreneurs : Associations of women business owners, which also may include Chambers of Commerce who have a committee for women business owners.
    Note: We will want to meet with women entrepreneurs who are currently viewed as small versus micro enterprise operators. We would like to have at least on focus group with women entrepreneurs – the objective would be to obtain first hand information on the challenges faced by women who are in position to or have grown their enterprises.
  • 3-Educators, Researchers - Academia to determine level of research activity and collect research documents that have been done on women entrepreneurs; Academia to find out what type of special courses they are offering in the area of entrepreneurship, and also any business incubators on campus or entrepreneurship centres;
    Other educational institutions (colleges, technical schools, etc.) to determine if they are offering entrepreneurship courses in their curriculum.
  • 4-International Donor Organizations - For example: UNDP, SPEED, ILO, UNIDO, GTZ
  • 5-NGOs -Example: Private sector development organizations.
  • 6-Training and Business Development Support Organizations - Both public and private sector groups.
  • 7-Financial Institutions - Association of Micro Finance Institutions; Gatsby Trust (if they are there) etc., Commercial Banks, Government Development Banks if there is one, Central Bank.