Côte d'Ivoire - Economic and Social Empowerment
General objective:
Facilitate the economic and social empowerment of rural communities and VSLAs, in particular connected to the national electricity grid, through the use of electrical equipment for productive and domestic uses in the Bouaké, Soubré and Méagui departments.
Location
Côte d'Ivoire
Bouaké, Soubré and
Méagui departments
Beneficiaries
2,000
VSLA members
Period
2023 - 2024
12 months
Context:
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 12.3 million people in Côte d'Ivoire live in rural areas. In recent years, electrification programs have been underway in these communities, which are far from urban centers. However, in most cases, access to reliable electrical infrastructure remains difficult.
Côte d’Ivoire, located in West Africa, is a developing country characterized by significant regional disparities. Bouaké, the country's second-largest city, served as a stronghold of rebellion during the political-military crisis of 2002–2011, leaving significant socio-economic scars. Despite this, Bouaké plays a strategic role as a trade hub between the north and south of the country and remains a key economic center for the region.
In contrast, Soubré and Méagui, located in more isolated rural areas, have historically lacked structural investments, increasing their economic vulnerability. These regions rely heavily on agriculture, particularly the production of cocoa and oil palm, making them sensitive to fluctuations in global markets. Rural and peri-urban communities in these areas, mainly composed of smallholder farmers and women, face significant structural challenges. Women, in particular, suffer from limited access to land, financing, and economic opportunities, hindering their ability to improve their living conditions.
According to the World Bank, the electricity access rate in Côte d’Ivoire increased from 34% in 2013 to nearly 94% in 2020, marking significant progress. However, these national figures mask significant disparities between urban and rural areas. The departments of Soubré and Méagui, which are predominantly rural, lag significantly in access to reliable electricity. In Bouaké, while reconstruction efforts have been undertaken, electrical infrastructure weakened by years of conflict remains insufficient to support sustainable economic activity, particularly in the most vulnerable neighborhoods.
Project description:
This project, by facilitating access to modern and suitable electrical equipment, could enhance household and economic actor productivity, reduce social inequalities, and strengthen women's economic empowerment. It would also help restore Bouaké's strategic role as a commercial hub and revitalize rural areas such as Soubré and Méagui.
CARE relies on 50 VSLAs, as well as on groups and individuals who have already benefited from community microproject funding under previous projects. These VSLAs receive support in identifying local economic opportunities and drawing up business plans. These are then submitted to the microfinance institution Advans Côte d'Ivoire for financing. An adapted credit product is offered, and a guarantee fund is set up to facilitate access to this financing.
Specific objectives:
• Improving incomes through the development of income-generating activities for members of VSLAs, in order to strengthen the capacity to acquire electrical equipment, adapted to productive and domestic needs;
• Promoting access to and use of this equipment by different categories of electricity consumers, including collective spaces, households and economic players, in order to offer new economic opportunities to rural populations, in particular for the processing of agricultural products;
• Raising awareness among VSLA members and rural communities of the availability and use of electrical equipment for productive and domestic purposes. These actions make it possible to validate equipment projects with target VSLA members, while strengthening the economic and social autonomy of beneficiaries. Results include the number of loans granted to VSLA by Advans Côte d'Ivoire, the number of pieces of equipment acquired by VSLA members and the development of a savings mechanism via VSLAs to facilitate these acquisitions;
• Improving the supply of electrical equipment and related services, such as installation, training and after-sales service;
• Training of community maintainers to ensure the proper use and maintenance of the equipment, thus guaranteeing its durability.
Key Themes:
Economic empowerment
Electricity
Information
CARE Belgium supports the project in collaboration with other members of the CARE network, in particular through communication and fundraising activities.