“Pour Elles”: Supporting women entrepreneurs in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Supporting the economic empowerment of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Project context and strategic issues

While women entrepreneurs account for a significant part of Congo’s economic fabric (over 43% of companies, excluding the agriculture sector, are managed by women), they remain predominantly in the informal sector and in self-employment. A number of barriers and obstacles prevent Congolese women from developing their entrepreneurial activities: 

• Difficulties in accessing education, training, financing, etc.

• Social norms involving discrimination, gender-based violence, early marriages and pregnancies, the burden of domestic chores, etc.

• Need for skills development: professional skills and life skills.

“Pour Elles”: Promoting women’s economic empowerment

The overall objective of the “Pour Elles: Support to Women Entrepreneurs” project is to contribute to the economic empowerment of women in the DRC and thereby help reduce gender inequalities.

The “Pour Elles” project will provide financial and technical support to companies managed by women in the cities of Kinshasa, Kikwit and Bukavu, and strengthen operators in the public-private entrepreneurial ecosystem who support women’s entrepreneurship.

The activities are based on three lines of action:

• Build the capacities for a gender-based approach of operators in the public-private entrepreneurial ecosystem (ministries, agencies, incubators, networks of women entrepreneurs)

• Support and finance women entrepreneurs taking into account their immediate difficulties and their structural barriers, such as issues of mobility, mental workload and gender-based violence

• Promote the success stories of women’s entrepreneurship and raise awareness in order to change the perception of women and promote models of women entrepreneurs.

1,200 women entrepreneurs supported

1,200 women entrepreneurs (micro-entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises) in the three cities, Kinshasa, Bukavu and Kikwit, will be supported throughout the project, for a period of four years, primarily targeting initiatives with potential for scaling-up.

Among these beneficiaries, the project will provide specific financing for 600 women with strong potential for scaling-up. An effective and permanent coordination and consultation mechanism for women’s entrepreneurship will be set up for the various operators.