Education & Training

VATEL is a higher education school of Tourism and Hotel Management, a subsidiary of the Vatel group, created in 2014 by Falihery Ramakavelo and his wife Hanitra Ramakavelo. Vatel provides a Bachelor's level training in 3 years, and since 2018 a Master's level training (Bac+5) in 2 years, including a final year of specialization in Ecotourism, which will be launched in October 2019. Today, it counts 67 graduates (from the 2014 and 2015 classes) and 167 students in training. The main site is located in Ambatoroka, Antananarivo, and a new campus will be opened in October 2019 in Morondava to welcome the students of the Master Ecotourism.

With Miarakap funding, the promoters want to make Vatel a leading higher education group in the field of hotel and tourism in Madagascar, through:

- The strengthening and consolidation of the existing structure,

- The opening of a campus in Morondava to welcome students in the Ecotourism Master's degree, students from the local population in vocational training (partnership with UNESCO), and eventually an application ecolodge.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Vatel is run by a couple: Falihery Ramakavelo, a graduate of ENA and the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr (France), he has several years of experience in Malagasy and French civil administration and as a senior manager of several Malagasy companies (BFV-SG, MAERSK, SIPROMAD); and his wife Hanitra Ramakavelo, graduate from the University of Angers (France) in Economic and Social Administration.

PARTNERSHIP WITH MIARAKAP

Miarakap's support mainly concerns:

• Funding for the renovation of the site in Morondava to accommodate the Master's degree in ecotourism,

• The financing of a technical assistance mission on project management for the construction works

• Support for the establishment of partnerships with NGOs specialized in Tourism and biodiversity conservation

MAIN IMPACTS

• Awareness and education on environmental issues, particularly biodiversity conservation,

• Strengthening the training offer on a priority sector in Madagascar

• Access to quality training for isolated rural populations (Morondava) through partnerships with international organizations such as UNESCO

• Environmental footprint management: solar installation on site

• Establishment of partnerships with professionals in tourism, education, crafts, etc.

• Establishment of socio-educational partnerships with funders

Founded in 2018, STUDIO KÄ is a start-up company specialising in the creation and production of educational animated series based on African stories, thus with high cultural added value for children.

STUDIO KÄ has obtained a partnership with TV5 Monde (an international French-speaking general-interest television channel) for the production of an animation series called "Les Contes de Raya". In addition, the company plans to develop several contents with the same characteristics for local and international sales.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Soro Adja holds a Master's degree in Finance and Accounting and a certificate in Business and Entrepreneurship from Lehigh University of Pennsylvania. After several years in the field of microfinance, Adja returned to her first passion, literature. Convinced that literature is a factor of cultural emancipation and open-mindedness, she did an internship at PLAYBAC Presse, a French publishing house, before returning to Côte d'Ivoire in 2015 to create Voyelles Editions, whose main product is the cultural youth magazine "Bulles". Today, the promoter launched STUDIO KÄ to develop the production of animated films.

PARTNERSHIP WITH COMOE CAPITAL

• Improve the quality of production and governance

• Produce several animated series

• Implementation of a health insurance system for employees fully operational

MAIN IMPACTS

• Creation of modern content, inspired by African stories, through the production of several edutainment animated series

• Substitution to animated films generally imported into Côte d'Ivoire

• Creation of local know-how through capacity building and the acquisition of appropriate equipment

Etudesk is a start-up offering online professional training through its interactive platform. The courses offered are strictly professional in nature and cover a wide range of learning areas: Business, IT, Economics, Civil Engineering, Science, etc. Etudesk defines itself as the “university of companies” and aims to reduce the gap between academic training and the skills required by companies.

The platform is available via PC, tablet and smartphone and without internet connection on mobile applications. It offers:

• Short-term training modules (about 2 to 10 hours) covering a specific field and aimed at students and professionals wishing to acquire or deepen specific skills. Each module includes a course structured in several sections with evaluation quizzes and practical activities
• Learning programs that are composed of a set of modules. The pathways provide access to a mentor and a final evaluation. A certificate, sponsored by a company, is issued at the end of the program in order to enhance the professional profile of the student if the program is successfully completed

The project has a strong economic and social impact: Etudesk aims to support active people in their career development but also to facilitate the professional integration of students and job seekers in a country with a young population and a high unemployment rate. Etudesk offers high-quality teaching programs (experienced instructors and content reviewed by several professionals) at an affordable price.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Lamine BARRO is a young Ivorian entrepreneur, who was only 22 years old when he founded Etudesk in 2016.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Korhogo (2014) and a Certificate of Entrepreneurship from the Founder Institute (2016). Before creating Etudesk, he was a Microsoft Student Partner for several years and has several years of experience as an IT specialist in various firms.

PARTNERSHIP WITH COMOÉ CAPITAL

• Formalization and compliance with accounting standards

• Strategic support to adapt the business plan to the Ivorian context and its competitive environment

• Support for strengthening the offer (creation of new training courses)

• Support the commercial deployment of the company

Etudesk is supported through the Education Impact Fund (EIF), managed by Comoé Capital. This impact fund dedicated to education in Côte d'Ivoire is sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) and the Jacobs Foundation. It provides financial and managerial support to Ivorian SMEs and start-ups with the aim of improving the quality and/or access to education in the country.

Etudesk also benefits from financial support and technical assistance within the framework of the I&P Acceleration in the Sahel program, in partnership with the European Union. To cope with the unprecedented situation of covid-19, some fifteen companies benefit from technical and financial support to maintain their activities and overcome the crisis.

MAIN IMPACTS

• Access to education for a broad target population

• Facilitates the professional integration of students and job seekers

NEWS AND AWARDS

Etudesk won Seedstars Abidjan Competition in 2016. Read more →

In 2017 Etudesk was one of the five winning companies of the Digital Africa competition, among the 770 French and African startups participating whose projects put digital innovation at the service of sustainable development. As a finalist, Etudesk benefited from an "acceleration pack", composed of technical and financial support provided by the French Development Agency. Read more →

Launched in 2014, The African Management Institute (AMI) provides formalized training to empower managers and entrepreneurs.

AMI has developed over 45 practical business modules – including over 2,000 tools – with Africa’s leading business schools and global experts on adult learning. AMI’s training strategy and programs are based on a blended offer of both online material and in-person workshops with experts in their field.

Through its programmes, AMI aims to reach 20,000 people in 11 African countries.

THE ENTREPRENEURS

AMI was co-founded by Jonathan Cook and Rebecca Harrison.

Jonathan Cook is the current Chairman of AMI. He has over 25 year-experience in management education, facilitation, coaching and consulting. Prior to founding AMI, Jonathan spent almost 10 years at GIBS, one of Africa’s leading Business Schools, where he served at various times as a senior lecturer, the Director of Executive Education, Academic Director, Executive Director and finally Director of the Business School until December 2013.

Before that, he spent 14 years as a faculty member at Wits Business School, where he founded the Management Development Unit and later became Director of Academic Programmes. He also spent 10 years with the National Institute for Personnel Research in Johannesburg. Jonathan continues to teach part time at GIBS in the areas of leadership and personal development, and is chief consultant of Thornhill Associates, where he advises companies in developing and implementing leadership development processes using customised 360-degree questionnaires.

Rebecca Harrison is the current CEO of AMI and has led the team since inception. Previously, Rebecca spent 9 years as a foreign correspondent and manager for Reuters News Agency, where she led business coverage in Africa and reported on politics, markets and development from 13 countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Rebecca completed her MBA in Entrepreneurship at South Africa’s Gordon Institute of Business Science, where she was awarded a Kellogg Foundation grant to conduct research into innovation in low-income markets. She is passionate about democratising skills development and supporting entrepreneurship in Africa through practical and affordable learning tools.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P

I&P committed alongside with AMI to:

• Help AMI further its reach in existing and new markets

EXPECTED IMPACTS

• Bringing quality education to middle management of African companies

• Delivering employability training programs and formation to entrepreneurship to the youth, women and a larger number of small-scale entrepreneurs

The Centre d'Appui à l'Initiative Féminine (CAIF) is a vocational training centre specialising in catering, hotel trade, sewing, styling, and hairstyling.

Created in 2003, CAIF has since developed a strong expertise to offer its trainees, mainly young Senegalese women, good quality training adapted to the job market.

THE ENTREPRENEURS

Mrs Arame Dramé is the founder of CAIF, which she directed from its creation until 2016. Today she remains active in the structure and uses her reputation and experience to have training contracts with institutional partners. Ms Dramé is an expert in educational issues and worked from 1989 to 2016 at the Institut National d'Etudes et d'Action pour le Développement de l'Education (INEADE) where she focused on vocational training and the issue of deschooling of young people in Senegal. She holds a DUEL 2 degree in English from UCAD and an Entrepreneurship Training Certificate from SODIDA.

Since 2016, the school is directed by Insa Seydou Dramé, son of the founder and promoter of the project. He decided to join the family business in 2012, where he successively held the positions of Interim Managing Director for 2 years, Director of Continuing Education and External Relations and Director of Operations. He previously worked for Huawei Technologies as a front office engineer. He holds a DEUG in Science and Technology for Engineering from the University of Paris 13, and a Professional Master from the African Institute of Management (IAM) of Dakar in Project Management.

PARTNERSHIP WITH TERANGA CAPITAL

Teranga Capital's investment aims to:

• Support strategic thinking on business expansion,

• Structure and develop management methods and tools,

• Put the company in contact with partner companies in Senegal and abroad

EXPECTED IMPACTS

• Social: creation and formalisation of permanent jobs, affordable vocational training leading to a diploma for a young target group excluded from the traditional school system, integration of graduates into the professional world

• Governance: implementation of financial and administrative management tools, formalization of procedures.

Created in 2005, VALLESSE is a publishing house based in Côte d’Ivoire, which has an editorial collection of nearly thirty books, nine of which are accredited to the undergraduate curriculum, approved extra-curriculars books and youth literature. VALLESSE has four collections to her credit.

VALLESSE is an active member of ASSEDI (Association des Editeurs de Côte d'Ivoire) and the Association des Editeurs Francophones au Sud du Sahara (AFRILIVRES).

VALLESSE won 3 prizes at the Abidjan 2018 International Book Fair:

• The International Book Fair Award for the novel “Tristesse au Paradis” of Grâce Minlibé

• The Jeanne de Cavally Award for “La Veste de Grégoire” of Serge Grah

• The special mention of Bernard Dadié Award for Young Writer for “Tristesse au Paradis” of Grâce Minlibé

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Fidèle Diomandé worked between 2001 and 2005 at the national leader CEDA (before the merger with NEI), at the direction of manufacturing after passing through the communication department and pedagogy. Faced with the difficulties encountered by CEDA, she joined the printing press Nour. After a few months in this company, she decided to create Vallesse because of her passion for both books and entrepreneurship.

PARTNERSHIP WITH COMOÉ CAPITAL

Comoé Capital committed alongside Vallesse to:

• Support the development of a new educational collection dedicated to all secondary levels and all disciplines

• Support the business development of the firm through new distribution channels

• Support the formalization of the firm (accounting, HR)

KEY IMPACTS

• Strengthen an education-focused publishing actor that promote a wide access to educational content and youth literature in Côte d’Ivoire

Enko Education is a fast-growing network of African international schools, increasing access to the world’s best universities for learners across Africa, with a strong emphasis on Francophone countries.

Enko Education offers a renowned and high quality education accessible to the upper middle class in Sub Saharan Africa, with a strategy to constantly broaden its audience through an ambitious grants program.

Enko is building its network by partnering with high-potential existing schools to rolls out a 3-year high school program, awarding the worldly renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. The IB curriculum puts an emphasis on students’ personal development and group work. It is highly recognized by international universities.

Enko helps successful private schools to grow and improve learning conditions by bringing alongside funding, better management practices and new education tools.

Enko programs are already implemented in Cameroun, South Africa, Mozambique and Côte d’Ivoire.

THE ENTREPRENEURS

Cyrille Nkontchou, Founder and Chairman

Cyrille Nkontchou is the founder and managing partner of Enko Capital Management LLP, an Africa-focused asset management firm with offices in South Africa and Great Britain. He is also the founder and executive chairman of the pan-African investment bank LiquidAfrica Holdings Limited. He started his career as a consultant with Accenture in France, and worked as a banker with Merrill Lynch in London. He holds a BA in Economics from Sciences Po Paris and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Cyrille was nominated as Young Global Leader 2006 by the World Economic Forum.

Eric Pignot, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer

Before EEI, Eric worked at BearingPoint, a management consulting firm. As an Engagement Manager, he helped his customers to improve their performance and scale. Eric is French, holds an MBA degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he focused his MBA experience on understanding how digital technologies will transform education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P 

I&P committed alongside with Enko to:

• Fund its Pan-African growth
• Participate to its governance
• Support its strategy to reach out to the lower middle class through grant programs.

IMPACT OBJECTIVES

• Develop a network of 30 schools, with more than  10,000 students over 5 years
• Access to international universities
• Dozens of teachers trained to international standards

TRAINIS, founded in 2008 by Daouda Coulibaly, offers general high-level training in management. These courses are concentrated on one to three weeks and led by a panel of African or European training experts. TRAINIS responds to a strong need for training among African executives who want to get in line with international standards. In a context of openness to globalization, these managers are looking to accelerate their careers hitherto hampered by basic training deemed insufficient.

L'ENTREPRENEUR

Daouda Coulibaly went to school in Mali before getting a scholarship to study in France. Parallel to his university studies in geography, he was self-taught in IT and created one of the most visited African websites. On his return to Mali, he created a company in the field of computing. This resale business equipment led him to measure a high demand for high-level computer courses. He decided to gap the demand with computing trainings. He then diversified into provision of international management seminars with higher added value. He mobilized high quality trainers around general management training on topics such as project management, HR, and strategic management.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P

I&P is committed alongside TRAINIS:

• Identifying influencers and prospects of different "product lines" of trainings

• Participating in the strategic development plan over 3 years

• Providing support to the design and formalization of the communication policy of the company

IMPACTS

• Creation of a sub-regional player in professional training aimed at African executives

• 15 jobs maintained in 2015, including 30% of women

• 15 local suppliers