WIDU now available in new countries in Europe
WIDU.africa to open application for African diaspora from the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden on 1 March 2022
WIDU.africa continues to grow - in Europe: as of today, interested persons from the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway can register on WIDU and support business projects of friends and relatives from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Togo and Tunisia.
01.03.2022 - WIDU.africa launches in three additional European countries: Starting today (01.03.2022), interested persons from the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway can register on the platform and support their relatives and friends from six African countries in implementing their business ideas. By offering WIDU in more European countries, the project wants to facilitate participation for more people. As of today, WIDU is available in seven European countries: In addition to the three new countries, application is also possible for interested individuals from Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland.
Together with WIDU, the African diaspora in Austria, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland can support small businesses from friends and family from all sectors in the participating African countries. WIDU doubles the amount the diaspora transfers to friends and family if the money is invested directly in their businesses. More about the benefits of this partnership and how our programme works: https://widu.africa/learn-how-widu-works
Silas, PhD student from Switzerland, participated in WIDU:
"As an economist, in my publications and my PhD at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, I explore the links between health, work and well-being. My aim is to find a way to reduce inequality and poverty, and improve well-being around the world," says Silas Amo-Agyei, who registered as a diaspora donor on WIDU.africa six months ago.
"I learned about WIDU through an information event for the Ghanaian community in Switzerland," the economist recalls. At the beginning, he was a bit hesitant - WIDU had just started in Switzerland and wasn’t well known. But in the end, Silas decided to participate anyway, together with a local entrepreneur, Stephen from Accra, Ghana.
Stephen has already had his own shoe workshop for 15 years. Silas decided to participate together with him and support him to achieve his goal to grow his business.
Today, Silas is indeed convinced that it was a good idea to participate in WIDU. When asked what stood out for him, he says: "I found it exciting to watch Stephen develop professionally over the course of the project and become more financially independent. I mean, after all, he was a good, smart businessman before, who was able to support his family and knew what he needed to grow his business. He just didn't have access to it." He pauses for a moment, thinking. "The best way to explain his progress is probably with an example: Before we started the project, accounting was not a priority for Stephen. And now? He keeps books and what's more - on my and the advice of his coach – he has even set up an investment account with a local mutual fund, which he uses to generate additional funding for his business. I find this transformation incredibly impressive and am very happy for him."