Cosmétique

A family business created in 1996 by Moumouni KONATE, the Savonnerie Parfumerie du Houet (SPH) is a company specialized in the production and marketing of shea butter-based hygiene products.

At the beginning, it was just a simple artisanal soap production unit which, thanks to the dynamism and commitment of the team, has been able to modernize and position itself as one of the leaders in its field. Within the framework of its partnership with SINERGI Burkina, the SPH aims to market just over 3,000 tons of cosmetic products in Burkina Faso.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

A former career banker, Mr. KONATE has more than 15 years of banking experience and holds a professional banking diploma from the Institut des Arts et Métiers de Paris. During his entrepreneurial career, he was 1st vice-president and then president of the Global Alliance of Shea (AGK). His commitment and dynamism have earned him several laurels:

• Industrial Companionship Award France/Africa/Mediterranean (2006) with l'OCCITANE
• Knight of the Order of Merit of Commerce and Industry (2009)
• Award for the best exporter of the Agency for the Promotion of Exports of Burkina Faso (2012)
• Officer of the Order of Merit of Commerce and Industry in (2014)

CONTRIBUTION OF SINERGI BURKINA

The objectives of the partnership include :

• Support to the managerial team and operationalization of the governance bodies
• Reinforcement of the annual production capacity
• Diversification of customers and products

EXPECTED IMPACTS

• Formalization and protection jobs
• Valorization of local products
• Establishment of good governance 
• Payment of taxes and social contributions

About Sinergi Burkina

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).  → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina​

Épices et Essences de Côte d'Ivoire (E'Sens) specializes in the production of citrus essential oils (bigarade, bergamot). The company sources its essential oils from a network of 80 small-scale producers in Côte d'Ivoire, revitalizing a production that had been abandoned.

Watch our video report on E'Sens

The Entrepreneurs

E'Sens was created in 2016 by two young Ivorian finance professionals who saw the potential of an industry that had been abandoned in the Bas Sassandra region.

• Pierre-Yves N'Goran (Co-founder and Executive Director)

He holds a Master's degree in International Business from Hult International Business School, London, England. Between 2011 and 2014, he participated in several professional finance rotation programmes, notably at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Ace Global Depository. In 2014, he returned to Côte d'Ivoire where he held the position of Credit Analyst at NSIA Banque Côte d'Ivoire for four years. Today, he is co-founder of E'Sens and is in charge of running the business full time as the company's Executive Director.

• Karl Akueson-Gannyi (Co-Founder)

After graduating in chemical engineering with a Master's degree in Finance in England, he worked for several years at BMO Capital Markets, London (investment bank specialising in mining and oil operations - finance and M&A department). In 2014, he decided to return to Côte d'Ivoire and set up his own business by creating the financial group La Financière de l'Eléphant (LAFINELE), which advises, designs and creates companies to carry out several projects, particularly in mining, agriculture and technological innovation. Karl co-founded the company E'Sens in 2016.

I&P support

E'Sens benefits from the seed funding of the I&P Acceleration in Sahel programme which is implemented in Ivory Coast by Comoé Capital sponsored by I&P. The objectives are :

• increase the company's efficiency and optimisation of logistics
• increasing the area of E'Sen plantations
• support and evaluation of environmental and agronomic issues

Expected Impacts

• Creation of new jobs
• Support for the network of small producers with whom E'Sens works

About I&P Acceleration in the Sahel

The I&P Accélération au Sahel program, supported by the European Union, is aimed at start-ups and small businesses in the Sahel region, with one main objective: to give them access to the financing and skills they need to enable their development and thus promote job creation. Find out more →

About Comoé Capital

Comoé Capital is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting Ivorian SMEs and start-ups. Headed by Issa Sidibé, Comoé Capital is the fifth African fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Burkina Faso (Sinergi Burkina), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). Comoé Capital website → 

MAÏA AFRICA SAS is a social company based in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso developing solutions to protect African populations from malaria. The first product designed by the company, MAÏA® is a shea butter-based ointment that protects users from Anopheles mosquitoes more than 5 hours after application. After a successful prototyping and test phase, Maïa has just launched the first long-lasting anti-mosquito ointment for the Burkinabe population and more generally West Africa.

ENTREPRENEURS

Gérard Niyondiko is co-founder and managing director. He leads the research with technical partners. Gérard holds a Master's degree in water and sanitation from the 2iE engineering school (Burkina Faso) and a Master's degree in chemistry from the University of Bujumbura (Burundi). He previously worked as a chemistry teacher and technical director for an industrial company.

Franck Langevin is co-founder and president of the company. He is in charge of strategy, operations, marketing and partnerships. Franck has worked for 15 years in the field of marketing of innovative solutions and in international trade. He holds certificates in management from Stanford University (USA), Dublin University (Ireland) and NEOMA (France).

CONTRIBUTIONS BY SINERGI BURKINA

The objectives of partnerships include

• Organizational capacity building
• Financing of mass communication (posters and advertising spot)
• Acquisition of raw materials from local producers

EXPECTED IMPACTS

• Fight against malaria
• Protection of more than 100,000 lives
• Improvement of the incomes of shea butter producers and resellers

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).  → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for start-ups in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership is designed to support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises in order to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still poorly developed. Click here to learn more

Created in 2015, Gaicha is a company specialized in the manufacture and marketing of cosmetic products, in particular soaps and cosmetic oils based on natural products. The raw materials it uses in the design of its products are local. 

THE ENTREPRENEUR

An information systems engineer, Mrs. MAIGUIZO TANKARI Saadatou worked for several years at Orange Niger where she held several positions as engineer and marketing project manager. Because of her strong desire to be entrepreneurial, she created the company Gaicha in 2015 and resigned from her position in November 2016.

ABOUT SINERGI

SINERGI S.A. is a private investment company created in 2006 and supported by I&P with a group of key individual and institutional shareholders in the Nigerien and international SME support landscape. Headed by Ibrahima Djibo, its objective is to contribute to the economic and social development of Niger through the promotion of entrepreneurship and the development of SMEs. SINERGI S.A. provides the means for entrepreneurs in Niger to achieve their growth projects by providing long-term financing and local support.  → Find out more about Sinergi

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for start-ups in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership is designed to support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises in order to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still poorly developed. → Click here to find out more

Farifima Cosmétique is a young senegalese company created in 2018. It specialises in the production and development of cosmetic products for men, women and children from natural materials based on local African resources.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Dr. Mariane PETERS holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of LAVAL in Canada (Quebec) with 10 years of experience in applied research in chemistry and is the author of several scientific publications. Before to establish Farifima's activity, Dr Mariane PETERS held project management positions in various scientific and industrial activities in Canada and France.

PARTNERSHIP WITH USAID  

Teranga Capital's investment by USAID in Farifima Cosmetics aims at :

• Support in the implementation of tools for the management of operational and financial data 
• Support in marketing and communication

EXPECTED IMPACT

• Promotion of local raw materials
• Supply chain structuring
• Formalization of jobs

ABOUT TERANGA CAPITAL

Teranga Capital is the first impact investment fund dedicated to the financing and support of Senegalese SMEs and start-ups. Headed by Olivier Furdelle, Teranga Capital is the third African fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires under the I&P Développement 2 program. The network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Burkina Faso (Sinergi Burkina), Ivory Coast (Comoé Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).

→ Find out more about Teranga Capital

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) started in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for start-ups located in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership will support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still underdeveloped. →Click here to find out more