Investing in the next generation in Côte d'Ivoire

Young people play an important role in shaping the future of Ivory Coast. The “Sénat des Jeunes de Côte d’Ivoire” (SJCI) encourages young people to find their way in government organisations, develop entrepreneurial skills and contribute to their communities. SJCI collaborated with PUM expert Nico Sickler to make the organisation more effective and resilient.

SJCI is a national youth organisation that works across Côte d’Ivoire. It raises awareness among young people about civic participation and democratic institutions, offers training in leadership and entrepreneurship, and supports young entrepreneurs in developing their ideas in start-ups and scale-ups.

As SJCI expanded, so did its ambitions. The organisation wanted to become more professionally organised, build long-term financial stability and strengthen its network of institutional and financial partners. They also wanted to understand why the involvement of its 600 members remained low.

Looking beyond the immediate challenge

During a short but intensive project in Abidjan, Nico Sickler worked closely with the SJCI management and spoke with many of its members to better understand the organisation’s challenges and ambitions.

One of the priorities was financial sustainability. The Dutch Embassy is in the process of creating an overview of financing opportunities for amongst others both SJCI and the young entrepreneurs within its network. We provided this overview to SJCI. This provided the organisation with a clearer understanding of potential funding sources and strategic partners that could contribute to its long-term ambitions.

The conversations with members also revealed valuable insights into their level of engagement. By listening to their experiences and expectations, SJCI gained a better understanding of the factors influencing active participation. These findings will support the organisation in strengthening communication with members, increasing engagement and creating more value for its growing network.

New opportunities for young entrepreneurs

The collaboration also produced results beyond its original scope, as Nico explains: “Finally, I reviewed the business plans of seven young entrepreneurs and suggested improvements.”

He also connected some of them to relevant organisations that could support their next steps, including Agriterra and the Moyé horticultural project in Côte d’Ivoire, a partnership involving three Dutch seed producers, Wageningen University & Research and RVO.

These new connections demonstrate the value of bringing together expertise, networks and entrepreneurship. While this PUM project primarily focused on strengthening SJCI as an organisation, it also created immediate opportunities for individual entrepreneurs to further develop their businesses.

A stronger foundation for the future

For SJCI, the collaboration with PUM provided practical recommendations to strengthen its organisation, increase member engagement and explore new funding opportunities. At the same time, the project reinforced the organisation’s role as a platform where the next generation can develop their ideas, expand their networks and contribute to the future of Côte d’Ivoire.