WIDU.Africa: A Bridge Between the Diaspora and Tunisian Entrepreneurs
From Paris to Rome, via Madrid and Warsaw, Tunisians in the diaspora can now directly finance and support micro and small enterprises in their country of origin through the WIDU.Africa project. This expansion to all European Union countries, as well as Norway and Switzerland, marks a new stage for this program, which has already created or maintained nearly 1,970 jobs in Tunisia.
What is WIDU.Africa?
WIDU.Africa is a project that aims to optimize the potential of the diaspora for the development of micro and small enterprises, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Since its launch in 2019, WIDU has supported micro and small enterprises in six African countries: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Togo, and Tunisia, through financial support and tailored technical assistance.
WIDU.Africa's Approach
The WIDU.Africa approach stimulates economic growth by strengthening the spirit of entrepreneurship, supporting job creation, and increasing income. WIDU constitutes a bridge that links diaspora communities and local entrepreneurs, interconnecting resources, learning, and opportunities.
Expansion of WIDU.Africa
Initially accessible to members of the African diaspora residing in nine European countries, WIDU is now open to diaspora communities in all EU member states, as well as Norway and Switzerland. This expansion offers broader access to support mechanisms for entrepreneurs in Africa and creates new opportunities for the diaspora to contribute directly to the economic development of their countries of origin.
New Opportunities for the Diaspora
Communities in countries that were previously ineligible to participate in the WIDU project, such as Italy or Spain, now have the opportunity to support their friends and relatives in their entrepreneurial endeavors. This wider reach will enable significant growth in WIDU.Africa's activities through a broader mobilization of the African diaspora in Europe.
WIDU.Africa's Geographic Expansion
WIDU.Africa is now available to the African diaspora residing in the following European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Enhanced Financial Support for Local Enterprises
In parallel with this geographic expansion, WIDU.Africa has also strengthened its main financing instrument, the Original WIDU Grant, to better respond to the evolving needs of entrepreneurs. The project's principle is simple:
- A member of the diaspora and a local entrepreneur each invest an equivalent amount in a project.
- WIDU doubles this amount in the form of a grant.
This month, the maximum threshold for this grant has been increased to €3,000 (approximately 10,000 DT). This means that diaspora donors and Tunisian entrepreneurs can now jointly invest between €150 and €1,500 each.
Increased Impact
To provide more substantial support, WIDU.Africa has also increased the maximum grant amounts for the second and third cycles of participation. Entrepreneurs who decide to participate in the WIDU program again can receive up to €5,000 in the form of a WIDU grant (approximately 16,800 DT). These improvements guarantee a more significant impact with each participation, supporting entrepreneurs in developing sustainable businesses and contributing to long-term economic growth.
WIDU.Africa's Impact
Since its launch in 2022 in Tunisia, WIDU has funded 685 projects with over €1.4 million in grants. The supported enterprises have created and maintained over 1,970 jobs, with 61% occupied by women. At the regional level, WIDU is present in five other countries: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Togo. In the six participating countries, the project has supported over 7,500 projects, creating and maintaining over 16,550 jobs (with 52% occupied by women) and disbursing a total of over €12 million in grants.
By improving its financing tools and expanding its geographic reach, WIDU.Africa is opening up new horizons and creating unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs in Tunisia and beyond.
