Assafae Association Empowers Moroccan Women Entrepreneurs

A recent research titled "The Entrepreneurial Profile of Morocco," jointly issued by EiNA, the African Development Bank, and the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance in December 2023, focuses on the issues that Moroccan entrepreneurs confront.

The paper highlights the Assafae Association for Sustainable Development's outstanding efforts to solve these difficulties, notably in the Drâa Tafilalet region south of the Atlas Mountains.

Assafae, founded in 2000, focuses on economically empowering women, particularly those from rural regions with inadequate education. The organization assists these women in developing professional and management abilities, allowing them to engage in income-generating enterprises such as crafts, sewing, cooking, catering, and housework. Assafae emphasizes both traditional and modern ways, including the use of digital tools for market growth, which is critical for women in remote locations.

The group sponsors roughly 150 projects each year, affecting approximately 200 women, and provides them with certificates and continuing assistance from project inception to completion. Assafae helps women connect with finance organizations and navigate administrative procedures at the regional and national levels. The group provides training in marketing, customer loyalty, packaging, and sales to help women entrepreneurs participate in trade fairs and expand their market reach.

Despite its gains, Assafae confronts the problem of moving women from survival manufacturing to permanent employment. The association's goal is to improve integration into local and regional economic value chains and encourage collaboration among ecosystem stakeholders.

In addition to its economic impact, Assafae helps to shift mindsets by hosting awareness-raising seminars for both women and their spouses. The association's accomplishments go beyond entrepreneurship training, as some beneficiaries have entered local, regional, and even national politics, proving that entrepreneurship opens up new opportunities. As a testament to its success, Assafae intends to hold further seminars in 2024 to help more families.