USAID 60th anniversary
Women’s Empowerment and Entrepreneurship in Senegal
USAID has been in Senegal since the passing of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 which effectively established the Agency to combine the efforts of various foreign assistance programs. For these past six decades USAID has worked together with Senegal and its development partners to create sustainable solutions to economic challenges. A key component to this partnership is to encourage and support the economic growth of women to improve the everyday lives of Senegalese families. In celebration of the 60 year anniversary of USAID in Senegal, the stories of eight women who have benefited from USAID activities and projects in the country are featured.
Aïssatou Gaye, business woman with a flourishing enterprise
Aïssatou Gaye is a leader and entrepreneur who gained inspiration through the USAID co-investment fund known as the West Africa Trade and Investment Hub that aims to catalyze economic growth in West Africa with a market-based approach. Entreprise Aïssatou Gaye was formally created in 2008 with a modest capital of 135,000 West African CFA franc (USD $307). She started by marketing white rice. Faced with growing demand, she decided to set up a small artisanal unit to transform paddy rice into white rice in northern Senegal. The smooth running of the project, as well as her demonstration of commitment, garnered her a solid partnership with La Banque Agricole, which granted her a loan for the acquisition of an industrial unit.
Aïssatou’s consistent determination in a sector dominated by men, coupled with the support provided to her by the Trade Hub, has helped her substantially increase the paddy and also acquire modern farming equipment, which is critical for soil preparation and harvesting. The Trade Hub’s expertise and support has also helped her build capacity and scale-up the rice value chain in the Senegal River Valley. Today, Entreprise Aïssatou Gaye has been able to generate a revenue of more than 1 billion West African CFA francs per year and has more than 1,300 smallholder farmers suppliers. Aïssatou pays it forward by sharing her knowledge with her supply farms and facilitating their access to finance.
Trade Hub, USAID