Galien/AFP – PME Special Award: Mahamadi Sebego of Éditions Sidwaya receives a cheque for 1 million CFA francs

On June 14, 2024, the 27th Galien Prize took place in Ouagadougou. The purpose of this event is to recognize the excellence of male and female media workers by awarding prizes for the best journalistic work. On this occasion, AFP-PME has created a special prize dedicated to the best journalistic work related to SMEs and entrepreneurship. The first winner of this award is Mahamadi Sebego, a journalist from Éditions Sidwaya. On Friday, July 5, 2024, the winner received a check for 1 million CFA francs from the general manager of AFP-PME, Issa Traoré.

The AFP-PME Special Award was created to stimulate journalists’ interest in economic issues. “Economic actors are guided to identify opportunities and make decisions. A good decision is made on the basis of good information. For this reason, we have observed, by browsing different media, that the coverage of economic information is very low. Our wish is to encourage journalists to take an interest in economic issues. This is only the first step. We believe that we can help journalists better. They have a method of processing information. Only their information can be considered good information that must be used for decision-making,” declared Issa Traoré, General Manager of AFP-PME.

For his part, Mahamadi Sebego said he was motivated by a sense of joy and satisfaction because “it’s not every day that we celebrate the work of journalists”. The focus of the work that won it this special award was: “Agroecological entrepreneurship: providers of green jobs seeking support”. The winner said agroecological entrepreneurship is a growing model of sustainable agricultural production that provides employment opportunities for young people. To prepare the report, Mr. Sebego met with young entrepreneurs (both men and women) who have invested in the agroecological sector. He revealed that while these young people are doing wonders in the field, they face limitations in terms of support, financing, markets and visibility. “All this is what we tried to highlight and why we won the award,” he said.

For him, the AFP-PME initiative is welcome. “Not everyone understands the importance of economic and financial information. By establishing this award, AFP-PME demonstrates the importance it attaches to the media’s handling of economic and financial information. Our country is in the midst of a sovereignty dynamic. There is no political sovereignty without economic sovereignty. There is no economic sovereignty without a strong and dynamic private sector. There is no strong and dynamic private sector without SMEs, which make up almost 90% of our economic structure. Businesses need financial, technical support and visibility. The media can play a big role. I invite colleagues to accept this award and produce works that promote SMEs and local expertise,” he concluded.

It is important to remind you that the main mission of AFP-PME is to contribute to the development of the private sector by supporting the promotion of entrepreneurial dynamism and the creation of a viable and sustainable network of SMEs in Burkina Faso. To this end, it is responsible for the direct financing of SME projects set up in Burkina Faso in accordance with Burkina Faso law, innovating and diversifying financial products in collaboration with banks, financial institutions and all SME support institutions, providing non-financial services, training, information, awareness, incubation of business projects, promotion, links with partners and the formulation and ensuring the implementation of projects and programs in favor of SMEs. Financing amounts range from 1 million CFA francs to 100 million CFA francs.

Aissata Raul G. Sidibe

Lefaso.net