Germinal
Entrepreneurship for social and economic inclusion in northern France
The Trafigura Foundation is enabling French organisation Germinal to provide more people facing social and professional difficulties with resources and support so they can set up their own business.
The challenge
While developed countries such as France support high living standards, people with disadvantages often face exclusion, socially as well as economically. For people struggling to find and stay in regular work, self-employment can be a promising alternative – if only they had the means.
The solution
Germinal runs an entrepreneurship programme that helps individuals take their professional destiny into their own hands. It targets people who are often far removed from the job market, including single parents, welfare recipients, and young people in neither education nor employment.
Interest-free loans help people with a business idea to get started and access credit from banks and other sources. Up to two years of training and mentoring enables entrepreneurs to acquire skills in areas including finance, marketing and business administration, and ensure their business models are sustainable.
Partnership impact
The Trafigura Foundation is supporting Germinal’s work to revitalise the former coal-mining region in northern France by opening offices in more locations, funding a larger number of entrepreneurs, and providing bigger loans.
The partnership aims to:
- Help people create another 600 new enterprises
- Enable Germinal to open 4 new offices
