January 26, 2024 – GEA and the Mastercard Foundation announced
the start of a sensitization campaign for the groundbreaking Business in
a Box (BizBox) program. This initiative aims to empower an additional
250,000 young people in Ghana, expanding on the successful
collaboration established through the Young Africa Works Program.
The Young Africa Works Program project, from 2020 to 2022, achieved
significant milestones by supporting approximately 94,000 young people,
more than double its goal, enabling them to establish businesses or
secure dignified and fulfilling jobs. Building on this momentum,
the BizBox program aims to support 250,000 young people in accessing
dignified and fulfilling jobs over the next four years.
In Amasaman, Greater Accra Region, Gifty Animwaa Owusu,
a GEA/Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works Program participant,
shares her story of transformation from a struggling individual to a
successful business owner and mentor.
“When I had no one to turn to for assistance, the GEA/Mastercard
Foundation Young Africa Works Program became my source of hope,”
recalls Gifty Animwaa Owusu. Her participation in the A2E program and
the invaluable Start-up Kit support she received after her training have
been pivotal in her journey. Gifty is now a thriving business owner,
supporting her family and mentoring young people in her community.
Through this intervention, Gifty has not only achieved financial stability
but has also gained respect and dignity. Her success is a testament to
the transformative power of giving opportunities to young women.
Reflecting on her journey, Gifty acknowledges the impact of the business
management training she received, which enabled her to meet the
application criteria and successfully receive support through GEA.
Gifty’s story is a powerful example of how targeted support and
empowerment can lead to meaningful change in individuals and
communities. Her journey is a source of hope for aspiring entrepreneurs
and a testament to the effectiveness of programs like the
GEA/Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works Program in driving
positive impact.
“The BizBox program aims to enable and empower disadvantaged
young people across Ghana, especially young women with first-time
business startups, to acquire skills and access to startup kits, markets,
finance, and technology to start, build, and grow their businesses.
We believe it will improve the well-being and resilience of young
entrepreneurs by creating an enabling environment, especially for
agriculture and agri-adjacent businesses to thrive and contribute to
national development,” said Rica Rwigamba, Country Director of the
Mastercard Foundation in Ghana.
With an investment of GHS 660 million (approximately USD 55 million),
BizBox underscores GEA and the Mastercard Foundation’s ongoing
commitment to young people’s development. The program, scheduled to
run until April 2027, will provide young entrepreneurs with essential tools,
knowledge, and support to start and expand their businesses.
It will deliver comprehensive training in life skills, technical expertise,
entrepreneurship, and business development, promoting business
growth and scalability.
A significant focus of the program is empowerment, with more
than 70 percent of the target participants being young women and
10 percent Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), reaffirming its commitment
to inclusivity and diversity in economic participation.
“The BizBox program emerges as a beacon of hope, fostering economic
empowerment and laying the foundation for a prosperous future for the
youth of Ghana. This is in alignment with the Government of Ghana’s
vision of ensuring that the youth of Ghana are engaged for the nation’s
development,” said Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, CEO of the Ghana Enterprises
Agency.
The program is tailored to complement the government’s ongoing efforts
to address the pervasive youth unemployment challenge. Importantly,
this initiative aligns with the government’s ambitious goal to generate one
million jobs for young people by 2025.
The program comprises five components: Youth Skills Development,
Access to Market, Access to Start-up Kits, Youth Social Networks and
Institutional Strengthening, Policy, and Regulatory Support.
Its implementation will involve a thorough process of sensitization,
application, selection, assessment, and training focusing on vulnerable
young people, past beneficiaries, PWDs, vulnerable women,
women-owned/led MSMEs and graduates from agricultural colleges.
The BizBox Program is focused on holistic development rather
than direct financial assistance, seeking to empower entrepreneurs to
build resilient and competitive enterprises.
For media enquiries, please contact:
About Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA)
The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) is the apex governmental Agency
under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) responsible for the
promotion and development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs) Sector in Ghana. GEA, formerly the National Board for Small
Scale Industries (NBSSI) was established by an Act of Parliament
(Act 1043) in November 2020. The GEA Act 1043 was assented to in
December 2020. The Act mandates GEA to Coordinate, Implement and
Monitor the activities of the MSME Sector.
The long-term goal of GEA is to support the MSME Sector to maximize
its contribution to the country’s economic and social development
concerning production, income distribution and employment, as well as
promote closer participation and integration of women and communities in
rural areas into the national economy. GEA provides Business Development
Services (BDS) to MSMEs, facilitates access to credit and supports the
formalization of the MSME Sector in Ghana in a decentralized manner,
mainly through the Business Advisory Centres (BACs) /Business Resource
Centres (BRCs).
GEA has its Head Office in Accra. It also operates in all the sixteen (16)
administrative Regions known as the Regional Offices and 247 District
Offices known as Business Advisory Centres (BACs) and Business
Resource Centres (BRCs).
For more information about GEA, please their website: www.gea.gov.gh
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one
of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary
organizations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable
young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access
dignified and fulfilling work. Established in 2006 through the generosity
of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation is an
independent organization separate from the company, with offices in
Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa.
Its policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by the
Foundation’s Board of Directors and leadership.
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