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SWITCH Africa Green has been supporting eco-entrepreneurs, policy makers, businesses and non-state actors in making the switch to sustainable consumption and production practices. Through strong partnerships, capacity development, mentorship and access to markets, MSMEs and communities are benefiting from green growth, decent jobs creation and improved livelihoods. 

Ms Perrine Marie Samuella is a beautician from Latanier, Rodrigues. She is, however, not your usual kind of beautician. The owner of a mobile beauty and health salon, Marie uses products that are natural for her work and to make money and make her clients happy. This work involves beauty care and hair dressing using bio products, slimming and relaxation, Ayurvedic and Swedish massage.

Complexe Scolaire Baraka is a technical college located in Bobo-Dioulasso in the South-West of Burkina Faso. The institution had 410 students in 2017 in various courses including masonry, electricity, metal works, hair dressing, and tailoring. About 26% of the students are women and only 2% of the students taking electricity as a major are female.

The college was started in 2005 and in 2017 employed a total of 14 people; four of those being women.

Wend Waoga is a women group from the district of Koudougou in Burkina Faso. Established in 1997, the association is one of the beneficiaries of the SWITCH Africa Green programme through Groupe de Recherche et d’Analyse Appliquées pour le Développement (GRAAD) under the project NEERE which in the local language means clean or pretty.

Faso Attie`ke` is a women’s association of more than 400 members from Ouagadougou specializing in producing cassava flour (Attie`ke`). The association is increasing women’s income by diversifying products and using improved technology. It obtains cassava paste as a raw material within Burkina Faso, from members’ farms and other farms as well. It also sources cassava from neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire.

Ober Child Mothers Association is a youth farmer group that was established in 2012 in Barr Sub County of Lira District in northern Uganda. It trains young mothers in sustainable food production, helping them achieve financial and food security. The group has 30 women under the age of 35.

Champion Shoes Limited, a leading shoe manufacturing firm situated in Thika town is perhaps one of the oldest establishments in leather footwear manufacturing in the area, having existed for over 15 years. It is run by entrepreneur Mr. James Mwaura.

Koforidua is a town situated in southeastern part of Ghana. It lies in the Densu River basin, near the southeastern base of the Kwahu Plateau. Here we find Issah Moro busy in his old scrap metal yard. Issah is the Chairperson of Koforidua Scrap Dealers Association.

“This is our old site,” Issah says, pointing to a yard with scrap metal vying for every available space.

A weighing machine with its hook pointing menacingly downwards has taken a vintage position. Here, every single piece is capable of inflicting harm albeit in a different manner.

Building contractor-turned bio digester, entrepreneur Ambrose Kofi Tsekpo is a man on an upward trajectory in environment conservation terms.