A new partnership aimed at strengthening climate resilience and women’s entrepreneurship has been sealed in Abidjan between the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) / Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) consortium and the SEPHIS Foundation. Under this agreement, the SEPHIS Foundation has been entrusted with the management of a CAD 1.3 million fund designed to support innovative businesses in three West African countries.
The fund primarily targets women-led enterprises developing nature-based solutions to help communities and ecosystems adapt to climate change. The initiative covers Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Guinea, regions that are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts, especially in forested areas.
The program forms part of a broader regional project focused on nature-based climate adaptation in the Guinean forests of West Africa, financed by the Government of Canada. Its objective is to combine environmental protection with local economic development by promoting sustainable and climate-resilient business models.
Through this funding mechanism, selected enterprises will receive financial grants, equipment support, and technical and managerial assistance to strengthen their operations and scale their environmental impact. The supported activities are expected to include agroforestry initiatives, sustainable natural resource management, and the valorization of non-timber forest products.
By placing women entrepreneurs at the center of the initiative, the partnership also seeks to address gender gaps in access to climate finance, which often limit the participation of women in green and climate-related sectors. According to the project partners, empowering women-led businesses is a key driver for accelerating the adoption of sustainable practices and enhancing community resilience to climate shocks.
Through this collaboration, WUSC/CECI and the SEPHIS Foundation reaffirm their commitment to inclusive and environmentally responsible development, positioning local entrepreneurship as a critical component of climate adaptation efforts in West Africa.