The Daloa Project
November 2025 – 2026
Program Description
The Entrepreneurship and Social Reintegration Program in Daloa, Ivory Coast is a year-long program that aims to support the reintegration of 26 returned migrants, aged 19 to 50. These migrants are returning from countries like Tunisia, Morocco and Kuwait, after harrowing migration experiences. This program will provide them with the necessary skills to build sustainable local businesses, psychosocial support, and provide them with crucial information about immigration so that they can make informed decisions about migration and become examples for others in their community thinking of embarking on clandestine migration journeys. Developed in collaboration with Fulbright France alumna and attorney M’Ballou Yacine SANOGHO, social worker Diane CABA, the Ministry of Education of Abidjan and Haut-Sassandra, l’OFII, and organizations in West Africa like RVR (Ivory Coast), The Okwelians (Cameroon), and ASI (Guinea) this pilot program will serve as an example of how to support returned migrants that can be reproduced across the region. We will also be filming a documentary, “Migrants de Retour”, highlighting participant stories to raise awareness about the lived realities of those returning home.
Hear President Marion Standefer present Project on West African News Channel
Project Timeline:
Details
November 24 – Evaluation of Program Participants + (diagnostic test + on-on-one interviews)
December – January : Mentor Coordinator Dr. KONE sources mentors and matches with participant
February – May: Vocational Training programs in agriculture, livestock, agri-food, Creation of business plans with mentors
May 4-29 – Participants will have access to the following workshops/programs:
Social Program led by Social Worker + Researcher Diane Caba and Educator Marion Standefer, Legal and Illegal Immigration Seminars by OFII, Digital Literacy, Marketing, Financial Literacy, Literacy, business seminars by local and international entrepreneurs
May 30-31 Business plan pitches to Jury composed of local and international entrepreneurs.
June – November – Winning participants will receive government funding to implement their projects
November 2025 – Evaluation
Example of weekly schedule (May 2026)
To bring this vision to life, our team is raising $25,000 by January 2026 through crowdfunding efforts and grants. These funds will go directly toward launching the program, providing participants with the tools, training, and support they need to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.
Join us in making this vision a reality. Every contribution counts.
https://donorbox.org/embed/entrepreneurship-in-daloa?
