Empowering women entrepreneurs in West Africa

On October 19, 2024, a significant milestone was achieved with the simultaneous launch of the UX in Climate program in four major cities: Dakar (Senegal), Lomé (Togo), Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), and Cotonou (Benin). This initiative aims to promote female entrepreneurship in climate technologies and position women as key actors in sustainable development across West Africa. The program is implemented by the CATAL1.5°T West Africa Platform.

In the program’s first integration session, participants gathered for an interactive workshop. Held simultaneously in each of the four cities, the session was designed to foster connections among peers and lay the foundation for the program. Participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and form teams around promising project themes.

Soukeyna Ouedraogo, a monitoring and evaluation consultant and participant in UX in Climate, shared her thoughts during the workshop: 

“The workshop was hands-on from the start, practical explanations about climate change theories. We then immediately began to identify ways to design solutions to address the challenges we face in our environment.

She further highlighted the diversity in backgrounds among the participants stating “ The group’s diversity was a real asset. Engaging with people from different fields encouraged humility in our discussions. It was exciting to explore the fresh perspectives that younger generations bring to the climate conversation.”

The participants collaborated to identify impactful ideas, using key criteria such as climate impact, economic viability, and alignment with user needs. These projects will serve as the basis for future masterclasses, workshops, and hands-on exercises throughout the program.

The UX in Climate program breaks new ground by adopting a multidisciplinary approach —a first for initiatives of this kind. It brings together 160 women entrepreneurs (80 per cohort) from diverse fields such as technology, engineering, marketing, and business strategy. This diversity goes beyond enriching discussions; it acts as a catalyst for synergy and innovative thinking. By combining these complementary skills, the program aims to build a pipeline of innovative solutions and develop stronger, more resilient ventures capable of addressing complex climate challenges. This unique approach transforms diverse expertise into a driving force, fostering sustainable solutions with long-term impact. Abdoul Aziz Sy, an instructor in Senegal and business support specialist at Impact Hub Dakar, emphasized the collaborative learning environment fostered by the workshop:

"Even though I was an instructor, I learned a lot during this workshop. Climate change is a topic we hear about often, but we rarely get the chance to explore it in such depth. This workshop allowed me to listen to a variety of perspectives, which was a truly enriching experience."

A core element of the program is the UX (User Experience) approach, which helps participants design solutions that are tailored to the real needs of their users. He emphasized the correlation between the content of the workshop to real world problems participants face, encouraging them to be innovative and creative.

More than just a training program, UX in Climate aims to boost women’s presence in the tech and climate ecosystem in West Africa. The initiative seeks to develop at least ten high-potential projects that can evolve into impactful businesses by the end of the 2024/2025 cohorts.

The positive energy and spirit of innovation displayed during the first sessions hint at great progress to come. Through this initiative, CATAL1.5°T reinforces its commitment to inclusive and sustainable innovation by creating an environment where visionary women can collaborate, innovate, and design solutions that will shape the future of climate action in West Africa.