The social and solidarity economy at the heart of local dynamics in Côte d’Ivoire: reflections on the 7 April 2025 workshop in Abidjan
On 7 April 2025, ScaleChanger was present in Abidjan to take part in a major event promoting the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE), co-organised with the Ivorian SSE Network (RIESS) and the Impact Glory Foundation. The day formed part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness and mobilise stakeholders committed to fostering a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic development.
A mobilised ecosystem aroud the SSE
The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including institutional actors, civil society organisations, entrepreneurs, business support organisations, and technical and financial partners. They all shared a common goal: to strengthen the visibility and recognition of the SSE as a driver of economic and social development, particularly at the local level.
The day featured opportunities for networking, discussion, and shared learning, and concluded with a training workshop for 25 support practitioners from various regions across the country.
Strengthening the capacities of social and solidarity economy support structures
This training workshop, led by ScaleChanger, aimed to strengthen the competencies of support organisations in the field of social and solidarity economy (SSE), and to equip professionals so that they can better support the entrepreneurs within their networks.
Throughout the day, participants were able to:
- Discover or deepen their understanding of the founding principles of the SSE, its core values, and its hybrid economic models;
- Gain awareness of impact-driven management, in contrast or in complement to more traditional notions of economic performance;
- Develop a better understanding of the specific characteristics of social and solidarity entrepreneurship, and the needs of entrepreneurs operating within this sector;
- Explore existing strategies for scaling up, to enable these initiatives to achieve a broader and more sustainable social and environmental impact.
From Theory to Practice: A Participatory Workshop
The day’s pedagogical approach alternated between theoretical input and practical exercises. From the outset, support professionals were invited to share their experiences and to co-develop collective responses to the challenges they encounter in the field.
The first collaborative session made it possible to:
- Map the priority needs of the entrepreneurs they support (women, young people, cooperatives, rural projects, etc.);
- Identify the existing support services and assess how effectively these address the entrepreneurs’ needs;
Highlight the gaps and unmet needs, such as a lack of expertise in key areas (legal, commercial, financial management), limited institutional recognition of the sector, and difficulties in accessing appropriate funding.
Exploring barriers and enablers of entrepreneurship in Côte d’Ivoire
In a second phase, the workshop delved deeper into the barriers hindering the development and long-term viability of SSE initiatives in the region. Four priority themes were explored in smaller working groups:
- Market access: how can social entrepreneurs be supported in selling their products and services more effectively, particularly through local and responsible channels?
- Access to finance: how can funding offers be adapted and made more accessible in a way that aligns with the specific needs of the SSE?
- Capacity building for support organisations: how can support professionals be better equipped to meet the expectations of project holders?
- Cooperation and networking: how can collaboration between stakeholders be strengthened, to pool resources and encourage collective dynamics?
Each group was able to share its findings, identify inspiring initiatives, and put forward concrete actions to take the work further.
A collective dynamic to cultivate
“I greatly appreciated the participatory and inclusive format of the workshop.”
“A truly enriching training session – I learned an incredible amount.”
The workshop concluded in a spirit of enthusiasm and cooperation. The presentation of certificates of participation, along with the traditional group photo, served as a symbol of the collective energy that emerged throughout the day.
Beyond the tools that were shared, a shared vision of the social and solidarity economy as a driver of social transformation came to the fore. ScaleChanger is proud to have contributed to this momentum and will continue to support Ivorian stakeholders in strengthening local capacities and promoting the scaling up of social entrepreneurship across the country.
Key figures
- 7 April 2025: Training workshop held for support organisations in Côte d’Ivoire
- 25 support professionals from various regions of Côte d’Ivoire took part in the workshop
- 9 April 2025: Adoption of the draft bill on the Social and Solidarity Economy, establishing the general framework for the development of the Social and Solidarity Economy in the country
This initiative is financially supported by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
To go further
Are you looking to train your support staff in the key issues of social and solidarity entrepreneurship and scaling up?
Get in touch with us: contact@scalechanger.org
Date: 25 april 2025
