Microenterprise / Small Business Development for African immigrants and internationals

The Problem
The population of African immigrants and refugees currently living in Southwestern, PA constitutes an "untapped resource" needed for economic revitalization; up to 70 percent have special skills suitable for microenterprise/small businesses for which huge local and international markets exist.  But these skills are left to waste, and most who aspire to establish, expand, or stabilize a small business lack the formal business skills, challenging language skills, license/certifications, financial resources, credit history and/or personal assets to qualify for business loans and assistance through conventional means. Hence, they continue to rank high among low-income, poverty stricken, under employed and suffer community resistance and distain.

Our Approach
CEED’s Skills to Wealth (Microenterprise/Small Business Development) Program helps identify members of the African Immigrant/Refugee community who have special skills that could be developed, transformed or expanded into vital business enterprises, and provide them with one-on-one support services needed to make the business venture possible.

2010 Projections
Since the launch of the program in 2009, 10 suitable microenterprise/small business ideas have been identified with potential local and international markets along with the discovery of potential entrepreneurs with the needed skill-sets and experience. CEED in collaboration with our partner organizations and consultants anticipates to embark on the predevelopment and implementation of 5 unique cooperative businesses and 5 individually owned microenterprises capable of putting over 30 people to work. The implementation will be in the order of priority and carried out in phases.
Proposed businesses/microenterprises:

• Small business incubator / market place
• International Textile Center (cooperative of sewers)
• Coffee Enterprise (coffee roasting, blending, processing and private labeling Center)
• Urban Gardening/Rural Farming
• Fish Farming
• Dry Cleaning/Laundry
• Housing/Construction Cooperative Business
• Restaurant/Catering
• International Day Care
• Jewelry Making/Beading