The Association for Moroccan Women Business Owners AFEM (Association des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprise du Maroc) launched on Tuesday in Casablanca their first programme for supporting women who wish to create their own projects, MAP news agency reported.
Saloua Karkri Belkeziz, the president of AFEM, said that the programme, labeled "Casa Pionnires" (Casablanca Pioneers), will provide women willing to create new projects with the necessary tools, including headquarters, training, consulting, and follow up during their integration in the national market.
The programme has been launched in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (PNUD), Maroc Entreprendre Network, The Banque Populaire Fund for Business Creation, and the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs.
The programme's partners stressed the importance of the initiative which aims to encourage women to participate in the business sector and contribute to their country's economic development.
"Casa Pionnire" was earmarked a budget of MAD 3.5 million. It will be followed by another programme, "Fes-Pionnires", which will address other businesswomen in the city of Fes.
AFEM was created in 2000 on the initiative of a number of businesswomen. It is affiliated to the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM).
The association is member of FCEM, the worldwide network of women business owners, and of the Association of Organisations of Mediterranean Businesswomen (AFAEMME). It also benefits from the financial support of the European Commission, as part of its support programme for professional associations (PAAP).
© Morocco Times 2006
