Ivory Coast

Viseo distributes and sells optical items through a retail network in Abidjan. Settled in 3 different shops, the network plans to expand all over the country. In Ivory Coast, the formal offer is crippled by broadly unaffordable prices and endangered by more attractive informal offer provided by “ground chemistries”. With lower prices and ready availability, these “ground chemistries” provide cheap quality goods. Viseo intends to fill this gap with free sight-examinations offered to all and information campaigns organized in schools, private companies and communities

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Franck Touré is an optician and an optometrist. He chairs the Ivorian association of the eye professionals. He has worked in France for a long time then came back to Ivory Coast to lead a famous French optical outlet in Abidjan. He also teaches at the Optometry School of Ivory Coast. He manages Investissements & Développement, a holding promoting development through the support brought to SMEs, which is behind the group “Vue & Vision”. He has long strived in favor of the access to affordable care for all.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P

I&P is committed alongside with Viseo

• To promote the brand launch : campaign, shop opening

• To provide commercial and financial support

• To undertake the recovery plan after the Ivorian political crisis

IMPACTS

• 2,000 persons are given free screening examinations each year

• Over a hundred good-quality equipment distributed each year in Ivory Coast

Afrique Emergence & Investissements (AE&I) is an MFI focusing on microloan distribution and savings addressed to revenue-making activities. Its misson is to fight against poverty in Africa and to improve its clients’ life standards. In order to achieve these goals, AEI seeks for resources likely to build strong linkage between lenders (institutions and individuals) and borrowers (micro-entrepreneurs.). The MFI grants an access to financial market resources as well as profitability and repayment of disbursed loans.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Fahan Bamba founded AEI after spending 10 years at CITIBANK, 1st world banking network and 4 as an Audit Supervisor at KPMG. When he left Citibank in 2003 to build AEI, Ivory Coast was involved in a deep political and military crisis, an unprecedented context of increasing poverty and socio-economic instability. Fahan Bamba was received the Entrepreneurship and Management award from PME Magazine (first Ivorian economics magazine).

Partnership with I&P

I&P is committed alongside with Afrique Emergence & Investissements

• To bring capital

• To chair at the Board committee and contribute to strategic thinking

Impacts

• Improving access to financial services for the poorest people

• 55 jobs maintained in 2015 (increase by 40% since 2014). Over a third are women

• 5 local suppliers 

• 2 284 borrowers (including more than 60% women) and 4 219 savers