Supporting women entrepreneurs in African context : towards a new dynamic and collective approach
The situation of women entrepreneurs has evolved a lot over the years and the importance of supporting women entrepreneurs is no longer to be demonstrated. Several authors underline the need to adopt a differentiated and contextualized approach in view of the specific obstacles they face. Through an exploratory study conducted in South Africa and Rwanda, this article focuses on the adequacy of support services for women entrepreneurs and their specific realities. On the basis of a model combining the context, the strategies of support and the performance of businesses created by women, research illustrates the maladjustment of support services characterized by a generic and androcentric approach, a stereotypical logic of performance and a lack of consideration for the influence of the family situation on the entrepreneurial path. In order to stimulate reflection and guide future interventions, an original model based on a dynamic and collective approach is proposed.