“Trainees paid $4 to help defray training costs, receiving a money-back guarantee in exchange. If they’re not satisfied with the training, they get reimbursed,” says DYNA’s business development specialist Mouhamadou Bachir Ndiyae. “So far no one has asked for their money back.”

The association is already reaping the benefits of Alpha Diene’s training. Participants recently signed their first contract to print T-shirts for a community radio station and formed an economic interest group to market their skills.

The USAID-funded project operates in five rural areas. It provides training, technical assistance and other support to microfinance institutions, small businesses, and business associations.

“At first, we were worried about how people would take it,” says Ndiyae, “but the success stories from training participants have instilled confidence in our program. Micro-entrepreneurs realize that the fees they pay to receive training are nominal compared to the benefits and added income they get in return.”

“At the seminar, I saw what people like me could do and I wanted to replicate it on a small scale in Senegal”, says Diene. His example is very encouraging. By improving his skills and adding a training component to his business, he has shown other handicapped people that success in business is a path to greater independence.

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