A few years ago, Rosalie contacted a smuggler to help her travel from Côte d’Ivoire to Morocco, and from there on to Europe. Pooling her life savings, she managed to pay the first installment of the exorbitant fee he demanded. However, when she was unable to make a second payment, the smuggler became impossible to reach and seemingly disappeared, sending Rosalie back to square one with nothing to her name.

Although illiterate, Rosalie was able to participate in the ICMC/ECC joint training program, where she learned the basics of entrepreneurship, management, and accounting. Thanks to these newly acquired skills and financial support from the ECC, she purchased an industrial sewing machine and launched her own sewing business.

Rosalie started by herself, working in a small warehouse, but now has her own shop from where she operates and employs five people. “We stayed, and we succeeded,” she says.