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Homeโ€บ Our Programsโ€บ Small Business Program
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฉ DRC Community Program

Small Business Program

Equipping community members in Mbuji-Mayi with essential business skills, financial literacy, and access to microfinance โ€” so they can start and grow their own enterprises.

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๐Ÿ’ผ Program Details

๐Ÿ“
Mbuji-Mayi, DRC
๐Ÿ’ผ
Business skills & entrepreneurship
๐Ÿ’ฐ
Microfinance loan access
๐Ÿ“…
ACN founding programs
About This Program

From Idea to Income โ€” Business Skills for Life

The Small Business Program is the heart of ACN's ABCD approach. It equips community members with the skills to start, run, and grow small enterprises using the resources they already have. No business background is required โ€” just the drive to build something.

Graduates leave with a business plan, financial literacy, and access to ACN's microfinance fund โ€” giving them everything they need to launch their first enterprise and start generating sustainable income.

Small business training participants in Mbuji-Mayi DRC
What We Teach

Skills & Knowledge Covered

Practical, hands-on learning that participants can apply immediately in their community.

๐Ÿ’ก

Business Idea Development

Identifying viable business opportunities using local skills, resources, and community demand.

๐Ÿ“Š

Business Planning

Creating a simple, practical business plan with realistic goals and financial projections.

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Financial Literacy

Basic bookkeeping, managing income and expenses, pricing products, and understanding profit.

๐Ÿ“ฃ

Marketing & Sales

How to promote a business, attract customers, and sell products and services effectively.

๐Ÿค

Customer Service

Building trust, handling complaints, and growing a loyal customer base in the local community.

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Business Growth

Reinvesting profits, managing growth, and accessing additional financing for expansion.

Small Business Program program outcomes in Mbuji-Mayi DRC
Outcomes

What Graduates Achieve

Small Business Program graduates start real enterprises that generate income for their families. From food stalls to tailoring shops, from phone repair to vegetable trading โ€” the businesses are as diverse as the community itself.

  • Launch a viable small business within months of graduating
  • Generate consistent household income from self-employment
  • Access ACN microfinance loans to fund their startup or expansion
  • Build financial management skills that last a lifetime
  • Become an employer within the community over time
Our Approach

The ABCD Method

All ACN programs use Asset-Based Community Development โ€” building on community strengths rather than focusing on deficits.

A

Assets

Identify the skills, knowledge, and resources already present in the community.

B

Build

Build on those assets through targeted training and practical, hands-on programs.

C

Connect

Connect participants with each other, with markets, and with ACN's microfinance fund.

D

Drive

Community members drive their own development โ€” ACN facilitates, the community leads.

Microfinance & Impact

Powered by Microfinance

The Small Business Program is directly linked to ACN's microfinance fund. After completing training, graduates can apply for a small business loan โ€” typically between $50โ€“$200 AUD โ€” to purchase stock, tools, or equipment to launch their enterprise.

Repayments are made from business income and recycled into new loans for the next wave of graduates โ€” creating a self-sustaining economic engine in the community.

๐Ÿ’ต
Loan Range
$50โ€“$200 AUD equiv.
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Repayment
From business income
๐Ÿ“ˆ
Return rate
High community repayment
โ™ป๏ธ
Recycled
Funds next participant
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Small Business Program microfinance and community impact
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Support Our Small Business Program

Every dollar donated to this program becomes a business loan that funds someone's dream โ€” and gets repaid to fund the next person's.

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