As an entrepreneur in Cameroon, Vannie has faced many challenges. One hurdle was the burden of heavy taxation, which strained her finances and hindered the growth of her business. It led her to establish an association as a more cost-effective option to manage. 

Although the government of Cameroon aims to create a business-friendly environment for entrepreneurship, as indicated in its 2020 National Development Strategy (in French), taxation is cited as a primary obstacle to entrepreneurship in a 2016 survey by the National Institute of Statistics of Cameroon (in French). It is one reason why the informal sector continues to predominate in the country, absorbing over 90 per cent of the workforce (in French), according to the International Labour Organization. 

As a woman, Vannie has also experienced gender-related biases and obstacles. Stereotypes influence how she has been perceived and treated in the business world. But she found inspiration from supportive friends and an encouraging mother who instilled faith with the words “You’ll find what you seek; keep pushing forward.” They fuel her resilience and determination to achieve her entrepreneurial goals. 

It is important to have a strong conviction to resist the discouragement of others, as we all have our dreams that drive us to live.” – Vannie Djounguep (Cameroon), entrepreneur and UNITAR alumna

In part driven by these experiences, Vannie focuses especially on women in the informal sector, giving them the tools and resources they need to thrive in their ventures. 

Vannie calls her UNITAR experience a dream come true. Having previously applied for a similar UNITAR programme without success, she was determined to make the most of this opportunity. Despite initial challenges with the EdApp online learning tool, she embraced it as a chance to improve her IT skills. Overall, she found the programme to be comprehensive, engaging and genuinely empowering. 

“The discussion rooms were precious,” she says. “They allowed [us] to delve into [our] motivations for pursuing entrepreneurship.” Vannie also found it uplifting to have access to a dedicated coach for personalized teaching and training and to hear success stories from individuals who had overcome similar challenges.

Having faced limited access to credit and high financing costs, Vannie welcomed learning about potential investors and gaining links to useful websites. “These resources have expanded my understanding of the investment landscape and equipped me with the knowledge to seek potential investors for my entrepreneurial endeavours,” she says, hoping to use these to help her secure funding for her business.