The AECF is a US$ 244m challenge fund capitalized by multilateral and bilateral donors (the AECF donors) to stimulate private sector entrepreneurs in Africa to innovate and find profitable ways of improving access to markets and the way markets function for the poor, particularly in rural areas. The Fund awards grants and repayable grants to private sector companies to support innovative business ideas in agriculture, agribusiness, and renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and access to information and financial services. Its purpose is to improve incomes of smallholder farmers and the rural poor. Researchcare team supported Africa enterprise challenge fund (AECF) in project monitoring. Researchcare monitored five entrepreneurship projects in Somaliland. The projects were composed of juice processing, farming and farming value addition, Value-Addition and Distillation of Aromatic Gums/Resins, livestock value additions. Researchcare team monitored the progress of the projects, verified beneficiary models and the impacts of the projects on the beneficiaries and stakeholders