From 30 June to 02 July 2025, more than 25 craftsmen from the communes of Azovรจ, Toviklin, Djakotomey, Lalo, etc. benefited from strategic training, which was successfully completed.
Financed by the Fonds de Dรฉveloppement de l'Artisanat (FDA) and implemented by IBA Management, in collaboration with Job Booster Benin, this initiative marks a significant step in the professionalisation and development of Benin's craft sector.
For three (3) days, the participating artisans were immersed in the workings of cooperative enterprises. Interactive sessions and practical case studies enabled them to grasp the many benefits offered by this organisational model, particularly in terms of pooling resources, strengthening negotiating power, facilitating access to markets and sharing profits.
The trainers also highlighted potential challenges, such as internal governance, conflict management and the need for a shared vision, in order to prepare craftsmen to deal with them proactively.
This training course is the fruit of a remarkable synergy between key players in Benin's economic development:
- The Fonds de Dรฉveloppement de l'Artisanat (FDA), as a mechanism for financing and promoting the sector, has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to building the capacity of craftspeople. This funding illustrates the ADF's determination to provide craft industry players with the tools they need to structure themselves and develop their businesses;
- IBA Management, renowned for its expertise in financial engineering and business support, contributed its teaching skills and in-depth knowledge of business organisation models;
- Job Booster Benin, a major player in the development of entrepreneurship and professional integration, helped to identify the needs of artisans and set up a programme tailored to the realities on the ground.
The completion of this training course does not mark the end, but rather the beginning of a new era for many Beninese artisans. The skills they have acquired will enable them to envisage the creation or consolidation of solid cooperative businesses, capable of generating more added value and making a more significant contribution to the national economy.
The participants expressed their satisfaction and enthusiasm at the prospect of putting the knowledge they had acquired into practice. They are now better equipped to make informed decisions about the organisation of their activities, thereby promoting sustainable and inclusive growth in the craft sector.
