Burkina Faso Entrepreneurship, Skills and Technology Project

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The development objective of the Entrepreneurship, Skills, and Technology Project for Burkina Faso is to increase micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs’) access to finance, technology, and a better trained workforce. The project comprises of four components. The first component, strengthening the enabling environment for MSME development will strengthen the enabling environment for MSME development. It consists of following sub-components: (i) improving the business enabling environment; and (ii) strengthening MSME capabilities and technology adoption. The second component, improving access to finance for MSMES and green investments will expand the reach and scope of financial institution of interbank guarantee of Burkina (SOFIGIB’s) recently established portfolio partial credit guarantee (PPCG), which has proven to be an effective instrument for promoting access to finance for MSMEs. The third component, developing a productive and entrepreneurial labor force will support the development of a more productive and entrepreneurial labor force, with the specific aim of helping to build the set of skills needed for the success of activities identified under components 1 and 2. It consists of following sub-components: (i) improving formal technical and vocational education and training (TVET) delivery at the secondary level; and (ii) increasing recognized non-formal training opportunities for low-skilled youth. The fourth component, contingent emergency response component is included to offer flexibility to re-focus the scope of the activities in case of a natural disaster, security, emergency, or catastrophic event, which will be triggered following the proclamation of a state of emergency or declaration of disaster.