The 4th edition of the Young Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, held under the theme "Entrepreneurship and Young Women: Challenges and Opportunities" on Monday, November 18, 2024, at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan-Treichville, marked a milestone with 163 women receiving total funding of 219.985 million FCFA.

Among the 42 women who received their checks during the event was Massandjé Yasmine Koné. She secured 25 million FCFA to expand her turkey farming business in Bouaké. Starting with just 50 turkeys, her farm now boasts 6,000.

"We were struggling market vendors in Odienné. Thanks to an initial funding of 2.5 million FCFA through the AGIR Phase 2 initiative, we grew from 50 to 200 turkeys. Today, we have 2,000 turkeys, and our annual turnover is set to reach 118 million FCFA. The Youth Project Funding Program is real. You just need to seek the information. Thank you to the government," she shared.

Ophelia Koffi, crowned Miss Agriculture 2024, is a trailblazer in recycling agricultural waste into mushrooms. With a BTS in Commercial Management and a bachelor's degree in Entrepreneurship, she is a former recipient of youth project funding.

"I started my activities in 2015, but it was in 2020 that I received 2.8 million FCFA through the Youth Employment and Skills Development Project (PEJEDEC). I recycle agricultural waste such as cocoa pods, rice straw, cassava peels, corn cobs, oil palm residues, dried banana leaves, and pineapple skins to grow mushrooms. These mushrooms can be transformed into herbal teas (for wellness, relaxation, and digestion) or soups that pair well with yam puree, rice, etc.," she explained.

With an annual turnover of 15 million FCFA, Ophelia directly employs seven people and indirectly supports ten more. She also trains rural women and aims to establish a sustainable mushroom industry in Côte d’Ivoire.