Senegal : Aminata Faty, the entrepreneur who helps the diaspora invest in Africa

Investing in Africa without moving to the continent is the dream made possible by Aminata Faty, originally from Gambia and Mali. Through Demay, an agency she created in 2019, the entrepreneur helps Africans and lovers of Africa invest remotely in real estate and agriculture. The initiative now brings together nearly 500 investors in various real estate and agricultural programs in Senegal.

From specialised educator to entrepreneur, activist, and writer, Aminata decided to reorient her career in 2019, after leaving France for Africa. She now runs two companies, Demay and Sensaly. She is also a writer and is committed to fighting against genital mutilations.

She began her professional career in France, where she earned a specialized educator diploma in 2007 and a research master’s degree in social work. In 2012, she obtained a position as Director and held several management positions in social intervention until 2019, when she resigned.

After several unsuccessful attempts to return to Africa, she finally made the leap in 2019, after a difficult personal experience. She settled in Senegal, a country she loves, because of its proximity to her two homelands, Mali and Gambia. There, she decided to start her own business. She quickly realised that it was difficult due to lengthy administrative procedures. She then created Demay in 2019, an agency that assists Africans in the diaspora realise their dream: invest in Africa, undertake and return! “This project was born from a personal need that is common to the African diaspora. We want to invest in our home countries, but doing so from afar is incredibly difficult due to the opacity of administrative procedures and the scams we sometimes encounter, even within our own families, “she explains to Africa Women Experts.

Demay now promotes investment and entrepreneurship in real estate and agriculture. Thanks to the agency, the buyer or investor does not need to travel. Everything is done by e-mail. Once the administrative act is issued, the agency sends it by secure mail. Later, during a stay in Senegal, the buyer or investor can visit the land with a surveyor from the agency. For cautious buyers and investors, the agency also organizes visits to allow them to see the properties before purchasing them.

Today, Demay brings together more than 500 investors in real estate and agricultural programs in Senegal. Some of them, especially project holders, are supported to develop their businesses within Malicounda Diaspora, an African neighbourhood built on the Petite Côte by the Demay community.

Committed to the African diaspora, she co-founded the Network for PanaDiasporic Entrepreneurs (REPAD), of which she is the vice president.

Founder of a quality car rental agency 

In addition to Demay, Aminata is the founder of Sensaly, a quality car rental and tour agency in Senegal. Born out of her difficulty in finding a car once she settled in Senegal, the company provides quality cars for hire. It also offers administrative and mechanical services. « When I arrived in Senegal, I didn’t have a car for a year. When I had the opportunity, I wanted to develop a quality car rental service with administrative and mechanical services because it is not easy to find your way around when you first arrive, “she confides.

Today, she runs two companies, but she has not totally disconnected herself from her basic training, namely social work. “The common thread in all my activities is mutual aid. I remain attached to the values that made me go into social work. I therefore try to give concrete expression to these values of solidarity in each of my activities,” she confides.

Activist against excision and writer

An entrepreneur but also an activist. Aminata Faty was a victim of excision when she was a child. Today, she is campaigning against this practice. She is the founder of the NGO “Réparer les Filles”. Since January 2022, the organization has been offering free and confidential counselling sessions to girls and women victims of genital mutilations. « Being a victim of excision revolted me all my life. I underwent personal repair, both physically by having surgery in the 2000s and psychologically through psychological sessions. These two aspects allowed me to rebuild myself and sort out a lot of personal things. Then, I wanted to offer women a safe place to start repairing themselves through talking, “she confides.”

Passionate about personal development, she is also the author of a book on the subject, published in 2021 and entitled “Be an excellence, believe in yourself! 4 steps to a fulfilled life”.

Resilient and determined, Aminata Faty has faced many challenges. Entrepreneur, activist, writer, she does not dream any less. On March 16, 2022, she launched a 100% women’s collective savings and investment club, focusing on financial education and community investment.

Danielle Engolo