Fondation Hirondelle officially launched the Afrik Activ’ project in late 2017 in Abidjan, within the framework of Land of African Business (www.lelab.info). The project was aimed specifically at youth and women, offering them free information, advice, additional training and networking contacts to help them launch businesses.
With positive results after an initial test phase in the first quarter of 2018, Afrik Activ’ continued online with a digital platform whose design was based on a study of the most pressing needs of the African youth entrepreneurship sector.
In December 2018, the platform project was presented in Abidjan at the opening of a round table on co-operation between media and business with the aim of developing general interest solutions for African societies. Afrik Activ’ was developed in editorial partnership with The Conversation France (www.theconversation.com) and received funding from Vivendi, Système U and Groupe Hervé. This was the first time that Fondation Hirondelle had launched a project funded exclusively by private business partners. After one year, however, the Afrik Activ’ project office closed its doors due to lack of funding.