Fansoto
Fansoto supports 25,060 women micro-entrepreneurs in Senegal, 65% of them in rural areas, to build a stable business, increase their income and strengthen their resilience to climate change.
Fansoto at a glance
Founded in 2017 in Senegal, Fansoto provides microcredit, savings and support services to vulnerable women micro-entrepreneurs, most of them living in rural areas with little or no access to traditional financial services (figures: 2025).
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25,060 women micro-entrepreneurs supported
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99% women
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65% live in rural areas
In Senegal, starting a business without a safety net
In Senegal, more than half of the rural population lives in poverty, and around 62% of the workforce holds an informal job, often precarious and without protection. In this context, many women start small businesses in trade, sewing, market gardening or livestock farming to provide for their families. Without access to financial services or suitable support, they struggle to stabilize and grow these activities.
In Casamance and Matam, women farmers also face the growing effects of climate change, which puts pressure on their food security and that of their communities.
Key context figures:
- 169th out of 193 countries in the global Human Development Index ranking (UNDP, 2025)
- 62% of jobs come from the informal sector (ANSD, 2023)
- 53% of the rural population lives below the poverty line (ANSD, 2022)
When I lost my husband, I had to provide for my children on my own. With help from my eldest son, I opened a small food shop. Thanks to Fansoto's loans, I grew my business, and my monthly income rose from €130 to €305. Today, I put my skills to use helping others. I've helped a friend and a sister start their own businesses. Thanks to Fansoto's training, I learned to save money to secure my business and handle unexpected setbacks.
Independence built day by day
Comprehensive support, from credit to training.
The women taking part organize themselves into small groups and meet once a month with a facilitator. These meetings give them access to a savings account, individual loans without collateral, individualized support, and training covering economic, social, health, agricultural, environmental and gender-related topics. In 2025, 94% of these women reported an income increase since joining the program.
A strong commitment to climate action and agroecology.
2025 marked the launch of the Wamaye project in Casamance, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) for three years. The project aims to strengthen women producers’ resilience to climate disruption through the adoption of agroecological practices and access to appropriate equipment: solar water pumps, resistant seed varieties, compost, and improved cookstoves. Three additional agricultural advisors have joined the team. The project’s first results, presented further below, already show strong engagement from women farmers in the area.
Gender equality as a priority.
In 2025, Fansoto formalized its commitment to gender equality with an internal position paper and several workshops for administrative staff and field officers. Training sessions for participants address women’s empowerment and the fight against violence. As a result, more than three-quarters of participants report improved relationships with their partners thanks to these sessions.
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![Une commerçante accompagnée par Fansoto présente son foyer de cuisson amélioré, au Sénégal.]()
An improved cookstove, acquired through a Fansoto loan. -
![Un groupe de femmes accompagnées par Fansoto se réunit en plein air pour une séance de formation, a]()
Monthly meeting of a Fansoto women's group.
Equipment that changes everyday life
Alongside microcredit, Fansoto guides families toward practical solutions that improve their health, reduce their expenses and protect the environment.
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500 families equipped with modern cookstoves in 2025
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1,500 t of wood saved thanks to clean cookstoves
Wamaye: Casamance’s women producers leading climate resilience
Since February 2025, the Wamaye project has combined training, credit and technical support for women farmers in the Ziguinchor and Sédhiou regions of Casamance, addressing the impact of climate change on their activities.
After one year, 1,570 women and men producers received individual agroecology support, and 880 farmers took part in a field school on compost and natural pesticides. In addition, 577 families acquired an improved cookstove through a Fansoto loan, reducing their wood consumption. The agricultural advisory team, trained in gender-sensitive approaches, is highly rated by the women farmers it supports, with a 97% satisfaction rate.
Our methodology
Fansoto is a locally registered association with its own independent board of directors. Entrepreneurs du Monde supported its creation in 2017 by mobilizing an experienced local team, and continues to support its methodological and strategic development.
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Every month, the women taking part meet in small groups combining mutual support, access to financial services and training sessions. This format encourages regularity, trust and skill-building.
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Loans without collateral or guarantee, savings accounts, energy credit for acquiring clean cookstoves, dedicated agricultural credit: Fansoto’s offer is designed for people excluded from traditional banking services.
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Advisors specialized in agroecology support rural women producers on sustainable farming practices, through field schools, individual visits and, soon, in-kind credit (seeds, equipment).
They support Fansoto
Learn more about this program
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