SINGA, A COMMUNITY AT THE SERVICE OF INCLUSION

Created in 2012, Singa («link» in Lingala, a Bantu language spoken in Congo) now has more than 50 000 members in 18 cities and seven countries. Founded to facilitate the integration of new arrivals - refugees, migrants, asylum seekers - in their host country, the association supports them by helping them develop their social and professional network, whether it is to find a job or create a business. Since 2016, its incubators have supported the creation of 320 start-ups.

IN 2022, SINGA LAUNCHED ITS SIXTH INCUBATOR IN LILLE. WHAT DOES THIS PROGRAMME CONSIST OF AND WHO IS IT AIMED AT?

This six-month support programme consists of offering people who arrive in France and wish to set up their business, a set of tools and resources to help them secure their structure, companies, associations, start-ups etc. Each personal project benefits from regular individual support, but we also offer group training sessions to put the entire class in contact with experts from different fields: commercial strategy, communication, accounting and financial management, legal aspects, etc. These six months are also an opportunity for the incubates to develop their professional contacts through networking operations. The first class, launched in 2022, supported around ten entrepreneurs. The second is currently underway. In all, some twenty people will benefit from this programme in 2023.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE PEOPLE AND PROJECTS YOU ACCOMPANY?

Our selection criteria are not particularly detailed or restrictive. Apart from the appetite of the incubates for this collective approach, we ask them to have a B2 level in French as a Foreign Language (FLE) and thus ensure that they can follow the training provided. As the aim is to secure the company’s launch phase in a few months, the programme is aimed at candidates who already have a relatively precise idea of their market, their economic model and the products or services they wish to offer. We also offer other types of follow-up for those whose project is not yet sufficiently mature.

WHAT IS THE PROFILE OF THE FIRST TEN ENTREPRENEURS SUPPORTED IN LILLE?

The first promotion brought together six women and four men of very different ages, nationalities and profiles. Their activities cover a wide range of fields, from fair trade to publishing, IT, communication, digital and catering. For example, one of our incubates, Maryse, is launching her brand of fair-trade coffee from organic plantations in Congo Kinshasa. A journalist, Dashamir, created Albanian Daily, a broad French-Albanian press website, after training in media management at the IAE in Lille. For his part, Pitschou wants to found an association for the reconditioning of computer equipment with the aim of training people who are far removed from employment. Adel is launching a drinks business based on organic pomegranate juice from Tunisia, sourcing it from small local producers committed to sustainable and eco-responsible agriculture... It’s extremely varied.

WHICH PARTNERS DO YOU WORK WITH?

All our programmes are financed by local, national or international structures: foundations, BPI France, etc. We can also count on the support of the players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, which is highly developed in Lille: BGE, local missions, CMAs, etc. We also rely on professionals in the social support and aid systems for asylum seekers and refugees, to invite them to direct project leaders towards us. Finally, we invite all professionals who wish to join us to share their expertise and their networks with our incubates.