DRC: FINCA-TRANSFORME Grants for 1,018 DRC Entrepreneurs

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo - A new partnership between FINCA RDC and the government-led, World Bank-supported TRANSFORME project is moving 1,018 Congolese entrepreneurs closer to receiving grants awarded through the COPA-TRANSFORME business-plan competition.

The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding in Kinshasa on August 6 to organise the disbursement and management of financial support intended for selected new enterprises.

Under the agreement, TRANSFORME will make the grant resources available through FINCA, while the microfinance institution will open accounts for beneficiaries, facilitate the transfer of funds and provide financial guidance to help entrepreneurs manage the support responsibly.

The agreement is an important implementation milestone. It connects an entrepreneurship competition to a financial network capable of turning approved support into business capital for Congolese founders.

From Selection to a Practical Grant Channel

The 1,018 beneficiaries have already been selected through the COPA-TRANSFORME process. The agreement does not launch a new call for applications. Instead, it establishes the mechanism through which the approved grants are expected to reach those entrepreneurs.

That distinction matters. Winning or being selected for a business-support programme is only one stage. Entrepreneurs also need a secure account, clear procedures and financial support that helps them convert grant money into productive investment.

The FINCA–TRANSFORME arrangement is designed to provide that bridge.

No individual grant amount or complete disbursement calendar was announced with the signing. The confirmed milestone is that the institutional channel for the 1,018 selected entrepreneurs has now been established.

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