CAMFED Ghana, a pan African movement, committed to the development of girls, children and women, has supported 60 young women entrepreneurs with start-up kits, specialist equipment, and training.
The items distributed include display fridges, ovens, milling machines, juicers, hairdryers, and textile and embroidery machines.
The young women were also given training in business management, packaging and branding, business registration, and bookkeeping.
The support is to enable the beneficiaries launch or grow their businesses in the year, 2021.
A statement issued by CAMFED Ghana, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said as global events continued to impact economies in Africa and around the world, it was important that school graduates were helped to support themselves, their families, and communities by creating jobs and prosperity.
“Working with our partners, CAMFED is focused on unlocking resources and creating an enabling environment, so that young women are on a steady footing to meet the personal and economic challenges that lie ahead,” Madam Sally Ofori-Yeboah, National Director, CAMFED Ghana, said in the statement.
It said the initiative was part of Young Africa Works, the Mastercard Foundation’s strategy to enable 30 million young Africans to secure dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
It noted that since CAMFED Ghana started work to boost its ambitions in October 2019, 2,000 young women had been supported under the business start-up scheme, and a further 1,080 young women supported with business growth.
The statement said CAMFED’s programme titled, “Women leading for jobs and prosperity in Ghana” comprises of six components to be implemented over a three-year period.
The statement said the components of CAMFED’s programme were: Learner Guide program and bursaries; Transition program; Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme; Business start-up programme; Business growth programme; and Co-operatives/rural sales networks.
It said following the latest call for proposals, CAMFED assessed the business needs of the entrepreneurs and awarded kits and equipment to successful applicants based on their individual requirements.
The statement said the event was attended by CAMFED partners, entrepreneurs, training providers, mentors and the media.
It said aside the presentation of the start-up kits and equipment, there was an exhibition by entrepreneurs, photoshoot and media interviews as part of the event.
It said CAMFED had seen the immense return on investment of supporting young women to transition from school into secure livelihoods, as they provided employment and mentorship for others, and used their resources to send more girls to school.
The statement said although many business owners had been facing additional hardships due to the pandemic, those specialising in preserving food, sewing masks, and manufacturing soap, for example, had been able to supply essential items at affordable prices to local community members, as well as donate to those most in need, in a collective effort to weather the storm.
