2024 integrated report

“According to the World Bank, South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world⁽¹⁾, with 10% of the population holding 80% of the wealth. The Small Enterprise Foundation NPC (SEF), a non-profit organisation, was established in 1992 to combat these socio-economic inequalities, in particular extreme poverty among women. Since then, SEF has grown and helped nearly 6 million women in 33 years. To improve their living conditions over the long term, we provide them with both financial and non-financial support. We can count on the commitment of partners, in particular BNP Paribas, which, at the end of 2024, through RCS, the local subsidiary of BNP Paribas Personal Finance, granted us a credit facility of 20 million rands (€1 million), which has enabled us to invest in the development of our support for women from the poorest communities. 

On the financial side, we grant loans to help them set up their own small business, such as a shop. We draw on the experience of Grameen Bank⁽²⁾, founded in 1983 in Bangladesh. We provide future women entrepreneurs with a scalable pathway, with group loans as an entry point. In concrete terms, five women form an eligible group to apply for a loan that they collectively guarantee as a solidarity group loan. Although they each create their own activity, their responsibility is shared. Through guidelines and field work, groups ensure that the members are credible and that they can work together efficiently. We start by granting small loans in order for each woman to launch her project. As and when the project progresses, we may increase the amount of the loan up to 35,000 rands (€1,800). In addition, we have designed a group microloan with individual responsibility, where the entrepreneur is only responsible for her own share. Launched as part of a pilot project, this financial instrument is particularly suited to the needs of women who are developing their business at a faster pace than that of other members of their group. Finally, we grant women entrepreneurs who are more experienced individual loans of between 35,000 and 250,000 rands (€1,800 to €13,000). 

This support for female entrepreneurship is reinforced by a programme to encourage women to save, to protect themselves against income fluctuations in their activity. We put them in touch with local financial institutions to open a bank account to receive their loan and save. 

Our non-financial support, which is an essential part of SEF’s mission, is based on two programmes. The first concerns financial and business education. Our loan officer⁽³⁾ raises their awareness of certain essential concepts, such as bank fees. The second, our community-based Image programme, aims to reduce women’s vulnerability to both HIV and gender-based violence. Our profound motivation is to make a lasting difference in the lives of these women, their families and their communities. One of them developed a business that is now located in several cities across the country. Her husband and two sons work with her. Another created several local jobs through her vegetable growing business. Thanks to entrepreneurship, a third woman financed the higher education of her son, who is now a university graduate. It is truly a question of dignity for our beneficiaries. Each of their individual stories is a great source of pride and motivation for us.”

INTERVIEW CONDUCTED ON 18 MARCH 2025.