ProFERE II – SME Loop
Côte d’Ivoire’s renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) market remains underdeveloped, mainly due to weak service quality, limited business performance, and high costs of technologies.
The Market Development and Employment Promotion in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Sector in Côte d’Ivoire (ProFERE II) project, commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), supports the Government of Côte d’Ivoire in advancing the transition towards RE and EE. Building on an earlier phase which focused on vocational training, this stage aims to strengthen institutional, private sector, and entrepreneurial capacities for RE/EE market expansion, contributing to the country’s climate commitments and job creation targets.
ProFERE II focusses on improving the capacities of business associations and supporting women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Dorsch Impact is responsible for implementing the SME Business Loop, a structured six‑month entrepreneurial development programme for 20 female‑led energy SMEs based primarily in Abidjan, with links to key national associations such as APERCI, AIENR, Green Cluster, and RESER.
Disciplines
- Climate Action
- Skills and Economic Development
Client
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Duration
From 2025 to 2026
Location
Côte d’Ivoire
Project Activities
Dorsch Impact is responsible for the implementation of the SME Loop Cycle for 20 women-led RE/EE SMEs in Abidjan.
- Technical Onboarding and Coordination:
- Introducing the GIZ team and other relevant partners to the SME Loop methodology through structured onboarding and planning.
- Coordinating and training national expert pools (trainers and coaches), ensuring quality control, supervision, and efficient financial and administrative management.
- Capacity Development and Adaptation:
- Developing the capacities of national trainers and coaches using SME Loop guidelines.
- Adapting training materials and methods to local needs and partner institutions, ensuring relevance and alignment with Côte d’Ivoire’s RE/EE market context.
- Training Preparation and Implementation:
- Preparing and delivering core SME Loop training sessions on business analysis and improvement planning, using interactive, practice‑oriented techniques that strengthen entrepreneurs’ business and management skills.
- Coaching Support and Supervision:
- Providing structured coaching for each participating SME through a series of sessions focused on strategy, financial management, marketing, and customer relations.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Supporting entrepreneurs in applying concrete business management tools and facilitating linkages with financial institutions and other relevant service providers.
- Supporting the monitoring and evaluation of project activities, setting up the system for monitoring SME performance.
- Preparing comprehensive final reports on training and coaching outcomes and generating lessons learned to inform future RE/EE SME support programmes.
Impact
- Strengthened business and management capacities of 20 female-led SMEs in Côte d’Ivoire’s RE/EE sector.
- Increased turnover and employment within participating SMEs through improved business performance.
- Enhanced service quality and outreach of Ivorian RE/EE business associations.
- Contribution to national energy transition and gender‑responsive economic growth.
- Long‑term benefits through a sustainable network of trained.
Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
We are committed to making a positive impact and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This project contributes to the following SDGs:
