CÔTE D’IVOIRE – Comoé Capital, Côte d’Ivoire’s leading impact investment fund and partner of Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P), has made its first exit with Vallesse, an Ivorian publishing house, after three years of support through the investment vehicle dedicated to education. 

To strengthen and develop its publishing activity, Vallesse obtained a financial and technical contribution through the Education Impact Fund (EIF), the first fund dedicated to education in Côte d’Ivoire, managed by Comoé Capital.

This resulted in the construction of a warehouse in the commune of Yopougon (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), technical assistance missions and training in various fields, commercial management, change management, finance, procedures and computer software.

“This participation has contributed to a significant increase in our production, but also, and perhaps above all, to improve the quality of our publications.”

Fidèle Diomandé – Founder, Vallesse

It also resulted I follow-up missions of the sales team, digital and strategic development and job creation for vulnerable populations: Vallesse currently employs women and young people (under 35).

“Comoé Capital’s contribution over the last three years has been invaluable and has enabled us to develop in every respect. This participation has contributed to a significant increase in our production, but also, and perhaps above all, to improve the quality of our publications,” said Fidèle Diomandé, founder.

“This, in turn, facilitates the work of teachers and improves the level of our high school and middle school students. To Issa Sidibé, Adama Fofana and the entire Comoé Capital team, whose relevant analyses and proposals have enabled us to go beyond our expectations, we sincerely thank you.”

The results of this support from Comoé Capital has earned Vallesse Editions several distinctions.

“The most valuable value in a portfolio is the entrepreneur and in Côte d’Ivoire we have motivated, courageous and committed entrepreneurs. With the Education Impact Fund (EIF), we participated in an extraordinary journey with Mrs. Fidèle Aké-Diomandé, a dynamic and very enterprising woman. This investment reflects our confidence in the potential of women entrepreneurs,” said Adama Fofana, head of the EIF portfolio at Comoé Capital.

EIF is an impact fund dedicated to education in Côte d’Ivoire, sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) and the Jacobs Foundation. Its objective is to provide financing, strategic support and technical assistance resources to around ten Ivorian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups by 2021.

The fund thus promotes the development of innovative solutions to educational challenges in the country. It provides both seed financing (between 6 million and 40 million FCFA per country) and growth financing of up to 130 million FCFA.

EIF is led by Comoé Capital, the first impact investment fund dedicated to the financing and support of Ivorian SMEs and start-ups that funding needs are between FCFA 20 and 30 million.

The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Burkina Faso (Sinergi Burkina), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).

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