Visionary Reports

This was during a workshop on Thursday November 20 to train the women on green economy and to launch the new cycle of application.

The second cycle of the Investing in Young Businesses in Africa: Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (IYBA–WE4A) program was officially launched in Douala on November 20 creating renewed opportunities for women-led startups to access funding, training, and mentorship. The launch event, gathered women entrepreneurs, Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) alumni, development partners, and government stakeholders for an information session ahead of the 2025 intake.At the ceremony, representatives from the Tony Elumelu Foundation and GIZ Cameroon emphasized that this new cycle aims to deepen support for women leading solutions in Africa’s green and sustainable economy. The program is jointly supported by the European Union, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).Grace Mathew, Digital Coordinator at TEF, highlighted the foundation’s impact since the launch of its flagship entrepreneurship program in 2015. She noted that TEF has trained over 2.5 million Africans and provided $100 million in direct seed capital, benefiting more than 24,000 entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries. Collectively, these entrepreneurs have created over 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs and generated more than $400 million in revenue. In Cameroon alone, over 100 women have received funding, averaging CFA 2 million each.

Our mission is simple: to democratize access to opportunity for every young African,” Mathew affirmed, underlining the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring that no entrepreneur is left behind, regardless of background or gender. The WE4A program specifically targets women founders in sectors like agribusiness, renewable energy, and eco-tourism, providing comprehensive business training, mentorship, and seed capital of up to $5,000 for selected beneficiaries. Additional financing is available for high-growth ventures. Mathew stated, “The green economy represents the future of Africa,” emphasizing the necessity for increased female participation in this sector to address global challenges, including climate change.The program aims to promote financial inclusion for women entrepreneurs, particularly those from underserved communities, while encouraging environmentally responsible business practices. In 2024, TEF and WE4A jointly trained nearly 300 Cameroonian women, with over 100 receiving seed capital to help kickstart or expand their ventures. Participants are encouraged to apply early for the program before the January 25, 2025, deadline, as last-minute submissions often overwhelm the platform.Testimonies from TEF alumni highlighted the transformative potential of the program. One beneficiary shared her experience of overcoming a rejection email to secure funding for her eco-tourism project, while another alumna revealed her journey from a small agrifood business to a soon-to-be-inaugurated factory exporting products across Africa.Organizers emphasized that this new cycle is more than just an application window; it is an “activation step” toward funding, mentorship, visibility, and growth. Women entrepreneurs across Cameroon, especially those in green and sustainable sectors, are encouraged to apply and join a network of over 24,000 entrepreneurs shaping Africa’s future.

By Gina Esong