Ivory Coast

Lika Cosmétique is a company specialized in the creation and sale of perfumes and scented care products in Côte d'Ivoire. It offers its customers a wide range of quality products including perfumes, incenses, scrubs, soaps and night creams. 

The entrepreneur

Lika Cosmétique was founded by Ms. Barro Zalika, a young woman entrepreneur with a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering and genetics from the University of Fatih in Turkey and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from HEC Abidjan. Zalika Barro has several experiences in various sectors (cosmetics, communication) and has received several awards including Entrepreneur of the Year from the BJKD Foundation. She is also part of the TOP 15 young Ivorian entrepreneurs who are changing the Ivory Coast according to the magazine “Journal d’Abidjan”.

Partnership with Comoé Capital and I&P

Lika Cosmétique is supported by I&P and Comoé Capital through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. The funding will allow the company to develop a new market segment, especially in local stores and popular markets (mass market) through the production of mini fomats of its flagship products, which are spices and barbecue sauces. This funding will be supported by technical assistance to improve the company's structuring, its quality processes and its marketing and sales actions.

The Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques Commerciales et de Technologies (ESSECT)-Poincaré was founded in 1966 and is a private higher education institution offering training in the industrial and tertiary fields. It has a total of seventeen programs in various fields such as management, hotel management, computer systems, tropical agriculture, etc.

ESSECT Poincaré is committed to giving young people access to education, regardless of their social and financial conditions, through a scholarship system. 

In addition, the school wishes to boost the employability of young people. To this end, it has created the Cabinet de Formation, de Suivi et d'Insertion (CAFSI), a structure that assists students in finding internships and jobs through a partnership with 12 companies. In addition, the school encourages hands-on entrepreneurial activities with spaces dedicated to experimentation, including a web radio. Managed by communication students, GBÊKÊ FM focuses on education, culture, and health and provided distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Alfred HAWMMOND, an entrepreneur with a passion for education, started a bookstore in the 1960s in addition to his teaching activities. In 1966, he founded the Commercial Institute (former name of ESSECT), which included a middle and high school before integrating programs dedicated to higher technical training, in the eighties. Founder member of the National Federation of Private Lay Institutions of Côte d'Ivoire (FENEPLACI) and the Union Patronale de l'Enseignement Supérieur Privé (UPESUP), he was named Chevalier of the Ordre National du Mérite by the Ivoirian government, in recognition of his commitment to the higher education sector.

Dr. Konan Marcellin KOUAKOU is the Director General of the Bouaké campus of the school since 2009. A graduate of the University Alassane Ouattara, he is also a lecturer, researcher, consultant and writer. Dr. Kouakou is at the origin of the school's radio (Radio GBÊKÊ FM) and the Orientation and Training Center.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P

Through its I&P Education to Employment program, I&P has committed to ESSECT Poincaré to: 

⇒ Extend its hands-on programs, in particular through an experimental farm;

⇒ Reinforce its digitalization strategy by modernizing its equipment and extending the coverage area of its educational radio channel;

⇒ Set up of a financial support system (zero interest loan)

⇒ Promote entrepreneurship by financing graduates agricultural projects  with a revolving fund

⇒ Build female student dormitory

⇒ Train the career center team

EXPECTED IMPACTS

 ⇒ Improving the quality and relevance of education

⇒ Strengthen the local employability of young people

⇒ Enable young people, women, and vulnerable populations to access training that meets the needs of the Ivorian job market.

A COMPANY SUPPORTED BY THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN I&P AND MASTERCARD FOUNDATION

Since February 2021, I&P has partnered with Mastercard Foundation through its I&P Education to Employment initiative, a finance program aimed at improving access to relevant and quality education on the African continent. The partnership between I&P Education to Employment and Mastercard Foundation specifically aims to support 30 education entrepreneurs in 3 target countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal) over 3 years. The partner companies receive funding and technical assistance to support them in their digital transformation, resilience, and growth strategy as well as in the implementation of social inclusion and employability measurement mechanisms.

Read more about:

I&P Education to Employment

ESSECT Poincaré

Founded in 2001, COFE CESA is a higher education institution providing continuing training in various fields (communication, finance, networks and telecoms, etc.) and initial training to professionals.

Willing to provide a quality education oriented towards professional integration for vulnerable youth, the group's 3 campuses are located in Koumassi, Yopougon and Plateau Attécoubé, all economically fragile areas of Abidjan.

With 99% of students benefiting from social inclusion measures such as government scholarships or internal scholarships ( tuition discounts granted by the school), the school intends to revolutionize its environment.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

A dedicated individual, Akoun Gossan has over 50 years of experience in the higher education sector. He held various positions in the University of Abidjan and the Ecole Nationale Supérieure libriaries between 1968 and 1976. Thereafter, he was appointed head of documentation and instructor at the Centre Ivoirien de Gestion des Entreprises from 1980 to 1991. He was appointed Secretary General of the Union Patronale des Fondateurs de l'Enseignement Supérieur Privé de Côte d'Ivoire in 2001. Then, in 2019, as a reward for his commitment, he was named Officer of the Order of Merit of National Education by the Ivorian government. In 2001, he founded the COFE CESA group, which he headed until 2014 before entrusting the management to his son, Jean-Michel Gossan.

A graduate of the Pigier group, Jean-Michel Gossan worked for 5 years in France, before returning to Côte d'Ivoire in 2012. He joined the administrative team of COFE CESA in 2015 as a relationship manager, and was appointed General Manager of the group in 2015.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P

Through its I&P Education and Employment program, I&P has committed to Université des Lagunes to:

⇒ Reinforce their digital readiness by acquiring modern equipment and a stable internet access;

⇒ Strengthen the educational offer with the creation of a language center

⇒ Train career center agents in job integration practices related to the needs of the local job market

⇒ Promote access to education for girls from rural areas by increasing the capacity of dormitories

EXPECTED IMPACTS

⇒ Strengthen the local employability of young people

⇒ Enable young people, women, and vulnerable populations to access training that meets the needs of the Ivorian job market.

A COMPANY SUPPORTED BY THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN I&P AND MASTERCARD FOUNDATION

Since February 2021, I&P has partnered with Mastercard Foundation through its I&P Education to Employment initiative, a finance program aimed at improving access to relevant and quality education on the African continent. The partnership between I&P Education to Employment and Mastercard Foundation specifically aims to support 30 education entrepreneurs in 3 target countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal) over 3 years. The partner companies receive funding and technical assistance to support them in their digital transformation, resilience, and growth strategy as well as in the implementation of social inclusion and employability measurement mechanisms.

Read more about

I&P Education to Employment

COFE CESA

TgMaster University is a new and innovative training offer in Côte d'Ivoire, proposed by TgMaster group, an Ivorian company created in 2013. Tg Master specializes in training students in relevant subject matter areas and supporting those wishing to access business school education in Europe through private tutoring, coaching, and mentoring services to enable them to take certified international tests in support of their applications. Since 2013, TgMaster has accompanied more than 700 young people and has inserted 300 young people in its partner schools in Côte d'Ivoire and abroad.

Building on its experience, this pioneering university welcomed its first students in October 2021 and offers courses in the field of digital and management, on-campus in Abidjan, and soon in delocalized branches throughout Côte d'Ivoire.

The university is supported by renowned academic partners, including business schools based in France (Media School Group and Audencia Business School).

TgMaster University aims to improve the employability of young people in Côte d'Ivoire by developing their skills and abilities and by anticipating the needs of tomorrow.

THE  ENTREPRENEURS

Born and raised in Ivory Coast, Achille KOUKOU, is a trained engineer . He graduated from the prestigious Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Yamoussoukro and from a French business school, EM Lyon. He has held various positions in France in financial companies such as Mazars, the Banque Postale, BNP Paribas...

Passionate about education and the issue of employability of African youth, Achille also launched and managed an incubator in Abidjan (5K Startups Hub), founded a training and insertion company for vulnerable youth (Actinobis), before devoting himself to the development of TgMaster University.

A telecom and network engineer from Ivory Coast, Léonce Ano is also a graduate of the prestigious Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Yamoussoukro and of the IESE Business School in Barcelona. He has various experiences in different countries : Spain, the United Kingdom, Kenya. He has a certain experience in the field of education, he held the position of secretary-general and teacher at the MDE Business School in Abidjan. He also contributed with Achille to the launch of 5K Startups Hub and Actinobis. Currently a Ph.D. student in Barcelona, he is preparing a thesis on artificial intelligence and business management and, simultaneously, plans his return to Côte d'Ivoire to take part in the university’s management.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P

Through its I&P Education to Employment* program, I&P has committed to working alongside TgMaster University to :

⇒ Support the launch of the university, the training of its management, and the establishment of a quality learning environment

⇒ Support the university's digitalization strategy, through the construction of a blended learning program (face-to-face and distance learning)

⇒ Support the expansion of the university in the regions of Côte d'Ivoire through the installation of connection points in several cities

⇒ Support the establishment of a scholarship program, particularly targeting young women from disadvantaged backgrounds, and ensure sustainable funding

⇒ Etablish policies and practices to protect learners on campus

EXPECTED IMPACTS 

⇒ Strengthen the attractiveness of the quality educational offer in Côte d'Ivoire, in partnership with international schools

⇒ Strengthen the local employability of young people and encourage the return to Côte d'Ivoire for students who have gone abroad.

⇒ Enable young people, women, and vulnerable populations to access training that meets the needs of the Ivorian job market.

A COMPANY SUPPORTED BY THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN I&P AND MASTERCARD FOUNDATION

Since February 2021, I&P has partnered with Mastercard Foundation in its I&P Education to Employment initiative, a joint financing program aimed at improving access to relevant and quality education on the African continent.

The partnership between I&P Education to Employment and Mastercard Foundation specifically aims to support 30 education entrepreneurs in 3 target countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal) over 3 years. The partner companies will receive funding and technical assistance to support them in their digital transformation, resilience, and growth strategy as well as in the implementation of social inclusion and employability measurement mechanisms.

Read more about the project

https://univ.tgmaster.com/

Learn more about the I&P Education to Employment program

The Université des Lagunes is a private institution of higher learning located in Abidjan and founded in 2010 by the Centre International pour le Développement du Droit (CIDD), an Ivorian association made up of legal system members (magistrates, lawyers, notaries, etc.).

Initially composed of a faculty of law, the university diversified in 2014 with the opening of a faculty of economics, and in 2020 a faculty of mathematics.

UDL's ambition is to "serve Côte d'Ivoire and Africa by achieving high international standards in teaching and research. By cultivating personal and professional growth, UDL intends to train highly qualified professionals to become leaders in their respective fields."

The entrepreneur

Created in 1993 by Ivorian law professionals the Association Ivoirienne pour le Développement du Droit (CIDD) was created to promote the development of Ivorian legislation.

In 2008, the association became Centre International pour le Développement du Droit (CIDD) to reflect the range of activities, such as training and research. Later on, the Université des Lagunes was founded as link between African values and traditions and the universal values of the legal system to strengthen Ivorian and African law.

Partnership with I&P  

Through its I&P Education and Employment program, I&P has committed to Université des Lagunes to:

        ⇒ Reinforce their digital readiness by training teachers and acquiring modern equipment and content;

        ⇒ Promote digitization by facilitating student's computer acquisition through a revolving fund;

        ⇒ Train the in charge of career service personnel to implement good practices in employability and graduate’s follow-up; 

        ⇒ Evaluate the alumni employability and strengthen the network;

        ⇒ Implement learner protection policies and practices on campus.

Expected impacts 

        ⇒ Improvement of the quality of training by strengthening the infrastructure and IT tools;

        ⇒ Improvement of the learning environment by strengthening the digitalization strategy;

        ⇒ Improvement of the graduate's employability by strengthening the activities and staffing of career services, in line with local labor market needs.

A company supported by the partnership between I&P and Mastercard Foundation 

Since February 2021, I&P has partnered with Mastercard Foundation through its I&P Education to Employment initiative, a finance program aimed at improving access to relevant and quality education on the African continent.

The partnership between I&P Education to Employment and Mastercard Foundation specifically aims to support 30 education entrepreneurs in 3 target countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal) over 3 years. The partner companies receive funding and technical assistance to support them in their digital transformation, resilience, and growth strategy as well as in the implementation of social inclusion and employability measurement mechanisms.

Read more about the I&P Education to Employment program I&P Education to  Employment

Université des Lagunes website

Gona Maroquinerie is an Ivorian company specializing in leather goods, particularly in the production of office items (conference folders, diaries), handbags or travel bags, pocket items, watch straps, wallets, and other accessories made of leather and imitation leather.

The entrepreneur

The company was founded by Jean Cyrille Ahoua Gona in 2014.

Autodidact, Mr. Ahoua is now a specialist in leather goods and shoe repair and has more than 33 years of experience in this sector. Accountant training, he began his professional career, far from the craft, as a sales manager in a company of Import / Export. Attracted by the idea of learning a trade, he left the company after two years and started working in the shoe industry.

His talent and his commitment to the leather goods sector have enabled him to win several prizes and distinctions at the national and sub-regional level :

• 2nd prize in the National Competition of Young Ivorian craftsmen (1998)
• 3rd Prize of Excellence of the Best Craftsman (2014)
• 1st Prize for Innovation at the National Exhibition of Social and Solidarity Economy in Morocco (2017)
• 3rd Prize for Circular Economy at the Salon Tournant de l'Economie Sociale et Solidaire in Senegal (2019)
• 2nd Prize at the Ivorian Handicraft Market (2021)

Mr. Ahoua is recognized as an approved trainer by the Fund for the Development of Vocational Training (FDFP) in the framework of Technical and Vocational Training in Côte d'Ivoire. He is also the President of the Union of Shoemakers, Bootmakers, Leatherworkers and Tanners of Côte d'Ivoire and the Vice President of the African Confederation of Leather Industries (Coafric)

Partnership with I&P and Comoé Capital

Gona Maroquinerie is supported by I&P Acceleration in Sahel program, which is implemented in Côte d'Ivoire by Comoé Capital sponsored by I&P. The support will essentially allow the company to increase its production capacity. Gona Maroquinerie will also benefit from the support of several consultants who will strengthen the brand's reputation, improve the production process and the quality of the articles, and revitalize the company's accounting and commercial functions.

Gain is a company in Côte d'Ivoire specialized in the development of administrative management software, the sale of access control systems in schools, and the automated control of staff presence and movements on site for companies.

The entrepreneur

The company was founded in 2020 by Guy Kouakou Attaboth Etchielou.

Holding a BTS in communication, he has worked as a freelance salesman in a company marketing poultry products and commercial ADELCI-Daloa. In 2006, he was charge of communication at Ivoire Finance microfinance. Then he ended up becoming head of agency within this structure from 2007 to 2008. He decided to set up his own business. With the help of one of his acquaintances, he developed an SMS messaging service between schools and parents, and later an administrative management and access control software for schools.

Partnership with I&P andComoé Capital

Gain is supported by I&P Acceleration in Sahel program, which is implemented in Côte d'Ivoire by Comoé Capital sponsored by I&P. The support will essentially enable the company to increase its production capacity and develop its brand. Gain will also benefit from the support of several consultants who will strengthen the technical capacities (software), boost the growth of the activity and revitalize the accounting and finance functions of the company.

The Central Chaare-Tsedek University (UCC) is a university offering courses in law, economics, literature and humanities in Daloa, in west-central Côte d'Ivoire. This year, the university welcomed more than 137 students enrolled in 3 university faculties.

The entrepreneur

The university was founded by Franck Emmanuel Bleu in 2020.

With a Master's degree in Finance from the University of Bouaké, this entrepreneur worked as a financial engineer in SMEs in Côte d'Ivoire for 6 years before switching to teaching. He is a teacher-researcher in finance and risk management at private higher education institutions in the country and is also actively involved in several projects to create universities and grandes écoles. He has a solid experience and proven skills in the higher education sector. 

Partnership with I&P

UCC is supported by I&P through the education and employment component of I&P Acceleration in Sahel program.

The funding and support provided to UCC aims at :

• Fitting out and equipping classrooms adapted to e-learning courses
• Acquire equipment for a multimedia room
• Acquire a digital ERP solution Konosys and DOKENT for administrative management and e-learning courses
• Carry out a promotional/marketing campaign and improve its website

Supagro is a school based in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, training in agriculture and management. The school was created to face the difficulties of recruitment in agriculture.

The entrepreneur

Supagro was created by Ange PETE, an entrepreneur in the agricultural field and started its activities in 2021.

Aged 40 and of Ivorian nationality, Ange PETE has more than 15 years of experience in France and in Ivory Coast both in banking (Deputy Financial Director of Groupama Bank in France) and in the startup environment (Country Head of Jumia Market and Commercial Director of Jumia Ivory Coast). He holds a Master of Science in Management (Entrepreneurship option) from HEC Paris and a DEA in Remote Sensing from the University of Cocody.

Partnership with I&P :

Supagro is supported by I&P through the education and employment component of  I&P Acceleration in Sahel.

The funding and support provided to Supagro aims at :

•  Fitting out and equipping dormitories, 3 classrooms and a computer room

Ivoire Beauty Academy (IBA) is a training center for the professions of cosmetics and well-being in Côte d'Ivoire.

Ivoire Beauty Academy delivers certificates of professional qualification (CQP) and certificates of professional aptitude (CAP) after an academic course of 9 months combining theory and practical courses. In two years, the school has trained fifty young girls between the ages of 16 and 30 who have dropped out of the school system or are looking for professional integration and/or retraining.

The entrepreneurs

IBA was founded in 2020 by two young Ivorian entrepreneurs who were convinced of the need to professionalize the training market for the cosmetics and wellness professions, a sector in which the majority of training is done through "on-the-job learning": 

• Abdoul Razak Ouattara: with a master's degree in Audit and Management Control and a BTS in Finance and Business Management, he had a career as an accountant in various accounting firms in Abidjan and in a training school 
• Carmen Lavri: this young woman has had various professional experiences in institutes in Accra and Abidjan.

Partnership with I&P

IBA is supported by I&P through I&P Acceleration in Sahel program dedicated to education and employment (IP2E).

The funding and support provided to IBA aims at :

•  Develop and equip the present site to reach a capacity of 60 learners
• Develop and equip a beauty institute  
• Open a second training site
• Support the company in the realization of a marketing campaign