Congo: FJEC (Forum of young businessmen)
Boosting the entrepreneurship: 
The Young Business Forum is an NGO which supports economic and social initiatives in Congo. It provides assistance to all Congolese in a precarious situation: from a young person looking for a job or wanting to set up their own small business to a retired person wanting to acquire new qualifications or a public officer made redundant.
FJEC consists of several interdependent departments called “competence centres”: Urban Support Unit (CAU), Rural Support Unit (CAR), Promotion Activities Unit (CAP), Communication Unit called MIESL (Local Social and Economic Initiatives’ Centre) and PROBA (Promotion programme for grassroots organizations). FJEC cooperates with CAPPED which is a microfinance institution. They often operate in a complementary way – while FJEC promotes enterprise spirit through non-financial services (awareness-raising actions, training, management and accounting support, regular visits to companies), CAPPED provides its clients with microcredits for business activity.
FJEC operates essentially in urban areas, in the two major cities (Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire) but through the Rural Support Cell it strives to extend outreach to rural areas. However, due to a relative isolation of the region, limited transport network and persisting insecurity its impact has been fairly limited so far.
The FJEC employs 80 staff and it has become a renowned NGO in Congo. Apart from its own activities, it is often consulted by local partners (UNDP, World Bank, Embassies, etc.) to implement punctual development plans. The Forum has grown to become a driving force within Congolese civil society.
The Forum has been supported by SOS Faim Belgium since 1989 and by both SOS Faim teams (and CFSI, a French NGO), since 1998.
