NGO organizes business support workshops for women, PWD groups

The Youth and Women Empowerment (YOWE), an NGO based in the Odumase-Krobo (Lower Manya Krobo Municipal) of the Eastern Region has held two separate workshops for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), Market Women Associations and Women Smallholder Farmer Groups in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality and Upper Manya Krobo District on 4th and 5th December 2023 respectively.

The workshops which aimed at building the capacity of the above target beneficiary groups on how to access interest-free or low-interest resources (financial, inputs/tools, and technical support) for the development and growth of their businesses were led by various financial institutions including the Lower Manya Krobo Rural Bank, Upper Manya Krobo Rural Bank and the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), through their district offices of Business Advisory Centres (BAC).

The project entitled “Empowering Women Cooperatives and PWD Groups in Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Livelihoods” is being implemented by YOWE with funding support from the STAR-Ghana Foundation under the Action for Voice and Inclusive Development (AVID) initiative.

The project, essentially, is to economically empower the beneficiary groups in the two Districts on financial literacy, business management skills, and savings under its livelihood and entrepreneurial skills development activities.

More importantly, the project is geared towards ensuring that women are equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to better manage their finances, linking them to financial schemes/packages to assist them in accessing soft loans to enable them to start and expand their businesses to become financially independent and self-reliant as well.

At Lower Manya Krobo, Felix Mensah Abrakwa, Marketing Officer at the Lower Manya Krobo Rural Bank educated the participants on the bank’s activities and the various products available at the facility which they can access to enable them to improve their trade/businesses. According to him, products including current accounts, savings accounts, transfers, remittances, etc. are available at the bank, and urged them to access them for their benefit.

On accessing loans for their respective businesses, Mr. Abrakwa said loan products are available for group businesses, adding that this process enhances loan access and is very convenient for applicants. He however cautioned the participants to put the loans acquired to judicious use to enable them repay promptly when the time is due.

Mr. Abrakwa also encouraged the participants to come forward and access loans ahead of the peak seasons.

Head of the Business Advisory Center (BAC) of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Mr. Edmund Addo at the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly tasked the women to take advantage of the many programs and opportunities available at their outfits which are tailored towards the needs of the people, especially the vulnerable.

According to him, the Center is ready to assist the women and PWDs to grow, strengthen, and develop the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector and charged them to take advantage of their services such as the women in MSME facilities to enhance their businesses.

At the Upper Manya Krobo workshop, the Loan Officer of the Upper Manya Krobo Rural Bank, Raphael Kwapong whiles encouraging the participants to open accounts with the bank, explained the benefits of saving with the financial institution, citing financial assistance to expand their businesses as a key benefit. Other benefits he listed include paying bills on behalf of their clients, issuance of bank statements to back travel documents, and paying off their creditors and debtors amongst others.

A participant who gave her name as Victoria Okoryo Tettey in an interview after the forum expressed excitement at the knowledge acquired, particularly on being a shareholder of the bank, adding that the forum had encouraged her to buy shares with the bank.

A member of the PWD group who identified himself as Francis Azu Paiva said, he had been enlightened by the presentations. He, however, called on the financial institutions to ensure that PWDs are given the necessary attention when they visit their facilities.