Our approach to creating and incubating social enterprises

Entrepreneurs du Monde creates, incubates and closely supports social organisations under local law, supporting those organisations closely, to foster the social and economic integration of the most vulnerable sections of society.

Why create local structures?

The social organisations we incubate provide a structured and long-term response to the challenges experienced in their communities:

  • Solutions are devised and managed locally, and conceived to meet the needs of beneficiaries. These solutions utilise economic activity as a concrete driving force that empowers and emancipates.
  • A lever that create formal employment opportunities: When a local organisation is created, it opens up employment opportunities for residents, in particular for young people, and bolsters the local economy.

Financial and operational autonomy as the clear objective: We guide each organisation we incubate through the process of building its structure, establishing its own, independent legal existence, and being able to finance itself through its own income streams. This ensures the longevity of its social mission and impact

Our approach to creating and incubating social enterprises

We base our methodology around a structured process that begins with identifying local needs and culminates in bringing the organisation to autonomy.

Visite sur le terrain avant le lancement d'un programme au Libéria - Entrepreneurs du Monde
Field visit prior to the launch of Elili in Liberia

Startup

First, we explore the feasibility of a programme through surveys (of the market, key players, etc), which are prepared remotely and then carried out in the prospective areas of intervention. If the decision is made to launch the project, we then proceed to refining its business plan, searching for funding and starting to recruit its initial team members.

Équipe locale de notre institution de microfinance sociale YIKRI au Burkina Faso - Entrepreneurs du
Équipe de Yikri au Burkina Faso

Creation

Next, we create the local organisation, recruit and build a local team, and work together with that team to co-construct the provision of services and its tools and procedures. Its range of services is first tested and then promoted in the local community. Our technical advisors are heavily involved during this phase, and a monthly steering committee monitors progress and adjusts the plan of action in light of the various achievements and contraints.

 

Visite sur le terrain d'entreprises sociales incubées au Togo
Meeting with the technical advisors of Entrepreneurs du Monde

Development

In this phase, the team progressively rolls out its services to a growing number of beneficiaries, and builds local partnerships to broaden their range of services. The technical advisors at Entrepreneurs du Monde continue to provide regular support, both on site and remotely, until the local team has fully mastered the organisation’s activities.

Social microfinance businesses generally find their equilibrium within 5–10 years, depending on their context. However, this journey is not linear: in contexts that are often unstable, an organisation may travel through periods of turbulence, experiencing challenges either internal or linked to the external context. Entrepreneurs du Monde maintains a constant presence in these times, to help cushion shocks, bolster local capacity and guide the organisation through the transitions that are needed.

Bénéficiaire d'Assilassimé au Togo

Scaling up

Once the social enterprise has achieved financial equilibrium and the local team is fully at the helm, we move into the final phase of our support: helping the organisation reach more families. This stage generally requires significant amounts of capital, so Entrepreneurs du Monde will mobilise its network of solidarity investors, including Microfinance Solidaire and InVestisseurs Solidaires. We also retain a place in the governance of the organisation, to ensure its social mission is maintained over the long term.

 

Group meeting at Alidé in Benin, an MFI created by Entrepreneurs du Monde, now independent and supp
Group meeting at Alidé in Benin, an MFI created by Entrepreneurs du Monde, now independent and supported by Microfinance Solidaire.

Autonomy

Several organisations are now continuing their mission without the support of Entrepreneurs du Monde, with some being financed by Microfinance Solidaire and our ecosystem.

Building local teams

We recruit and build local teams that are capable of responding to the needs of their community. Anchoring an organisation in its community in this way ensures that the solutions provided have been adapted to their context, are long-lasting and have a strong social impact.

Sandar Kyaw, directrice de SOO au Myanmar

With the support of Entrepreneurs du Monde, we have been able to put financial services into place and create training modules adapted to our communities.

Sandar KYAW Program Manager of Sont Oo Tehtwin in Myanmar

Creating structures that are solid and long-lasting

Once a social enterprise reaches financial equilibrium, Entrepreneurs du Monde remains at its side. Our role evolves, but we continue to support the organisation’s development to ensure the longevity of its social mission.

  • Supportive presence: we remain involved but increasingly lightly, allowing the local team plenty of room.
  • Sustainable financing: the organisation’s structure is self-financing, from the savings and deposits of their beneficiaries, but can be supplemented, if needed, with tailored support from Entrepreneurs du Monde.
  • Innovation: Entrepreneurs du Monde continues to support these organisations with the innovation and development of new services, sometimes in partnership with other players.
  • Anchored in the network: the organisation retains a place for Entrepreneurs du Monde in their governance, to ensure they remain aligned with our values and can benefit from our ecosystem.

Each social enterprise retains its own identity, while being empowered to continue its mission and activities across the long term through the support, experience and shared values emanating from the heart of the Entrepreneurs du Monde network.

  • Atelier de travail sur la théorie du changement chez Elili au Libéria
    Workshop on formulating a theory of change at Elili in Liberia
  • Réunion entre les référents d'Entrepreneurs du Monde et l'équipe locale de Munafa en Sierra Leone
    Meeting between Entrepreneurs du Monde representatives and the local Munafa team

Frequently asked questions

Find answers to frequently asked questions about our approach to creating and supporting local social enterprises.

  • A social enterprise is an organization that combines economic activity with a social mission. Its main objective is to meet an essential need : inclusion, energy, sustainable agriculture, etc. while remaining financially viable.

  • Because locally designed and managed solutions are more effective and sustainable. They strengthen employment, skills, and economic autonomy in vulnerable communities.

  • Incubation lasts an average of 5 to 10 years, depending on the complexity of the local context. The ultimate goal is for each structure to become financially and operationally self-sufficient.

  • Funding combines donations, grants, social loans, and locally generated resources. We raise funds tailored to each phase: launch, growth, and then autonomy.

  • More than 165,000 direct beneficiaries supported in 2024, 41,000 training sessions, and several programs that became fully self-sustaining after a few years.