All programs
Phase one

SME Empowerment & Access to Finance

Raising the capabilities of existing enterprises and easing their access to finance.

Goal

Strengthen the resilience and growth of existing small and medium enterprises, and ease their access to finance they cannot reach today.

Here the forum is a facilitator, not a lender. We build the enterprise's readiness and its file until it is finance-ready, then connect it to financial institutions and funders.

The decision to lend and disburse rests with those institutions alone; our role is to build readiness and open doors, not to lend.

“We build the enterprise's readiness for finance; the lending decision stays with those who make it.”

How it works

  1. Identify & assess

    Identifying enterprises with growth potential and assessing their real needs.

  2. Strengthen

    Training and mentorship in financial management, planning, and market readiness.

  3. Bridge to finance & markets

    Building a finance-ready file and linking it to microfinance, diaspora funders, guarantee mechanisms, and buyers.

What participants gain

  • Specialized training and mentorship in management and finance.
  • A finance-ready file that convinces funders.
  • Links to sources of finance, markets, and suppliers.

Who it's for

  • Existing, growth-capable small and medium enterprises across economic sectors.
  • Women-led enterprises and returning diaspora are encouraged.
The lending capital that reaches enterprises is separate and larger, provided by financial institutions, and sits outside this program's budget.