Sustainable economy: launch of support programme for women with innovative project ideas

Around fifteen women with ideas for innovative projects aimed at promoting a more sustainable, responsible and inclusive economy in Sfax will be supported by the Social and Solidarity Economy Laboratory (Lab'ess) as part of its "Essentielles" incubation programme. Running for six months, Essentielles is a women-only programme that offers its incubatees training, individual support and networking event tailored to their needs, Lab'ess said in a press release on Tuesday. The programme will also offer potential funding in the form of a honourary loan of up to TND 15,000. The call for applications for this second round of Essentielles funding was launched on August 21, 2023. In total, more than 100 women entrepreneurs applied to join the incubator. Following the bootcamp and individual interviews, 15 entrepreneurs were selected to participate in this second round of the incubation programme. The programme is aimed at female founders and co-founders of a social enterprise that has been established or in the process of being legally established and that offers an innovative solution to a social or environmental need. In a rapidly changing social, economic and environmental context, new needs are emerging and multiplying. These changes are leading to improvements in economic and business practices to promote social equity and sustainable development. As a result of these changes, many inequalities are already increasing, particularly between men and women and between regions. Women, especially in the regions, are key actors in bringing about change to meet these needs. The Essentielles programme is part of this reflection and aims to promote social innovation through female entrepreneurship in the regions, according to Lab'ess. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse