In the last four years since its inception, the Sinapi Aba Mentorship Program has trained nearly 2,000 young female entrepreneurs, equipping them with essential skills to stay buoyant in their respective vocations.

The company is rolling out another batch of over 250 young entrepreneurs under its flagship program for economic growth.

The Sinapi Aba Mentorship Program seeks to enhance the entrepreneurial capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners in Ghana as part of the company’s commitment to fostering economic growth and personal empowerment for women.

The sixth cohort of the program are being trained to gain critical insights into financial management, such as budgeting, pricing strategies, and securing loans for business expansion.

The new cohort adds to the nearly 2,000 female young entrepreneurs who have benefited from the program since 2021.

Chief Program Officer at Sinapi Aba, Joyce Dabo indicated that the program would expose participants to adopting new trends in business including digitalisation in the 6-months of its roll-out.

“This year we are introducing the women to Digitalisation in business so that they’re able to know the current trend of business. So, they can adopt some of these strategies to boost their business,” she said.

Women are reported to mostly settle for either micro or small-scale businesses, which experts believe stems from traditional notions of gender stereotypes.

Acting Head of the Gender Department in the Ashanti region, Ama Nyantah Boateng highlighted the gender imbalance and encouraged women to venture into bigger businesses.

“Women’s contributions to the economy can’t be downplayed. So, they must also know about Innovation. Most often they tend to leave the bigger businesses spaces to men. So, if the women can also go into these bigger ventures they will thrive just as much as the men will,” she said.

Acting Director of the Ghana Enterprises Agency, Thomas Fofie advised women to take positive risks in their business to foster growth.

“Risk is an eminent factor in business. So, in instances where a woman runs at loss after taking a loan, they can always go back to wherever they took the loan from and explains their situation and how they are restructuring to bounce back. The banks will be happier to receive them. So, they must take risks in their business,” he noted.

The training is running in three regions of the country, including Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern to enhance the livelihoods of upcoming entrepreneurs.

A beneficiary, Gloria Asafo Adjei recounts how the mentorship program has shaped her business.

“Enrolling on the program has really been helpful. They thought us how to treat our customers well and other financial literacy skills. Last year, I was a mentee, this year I am a mentor. I am ready to help other people raise their businesses,” she said.

The program is part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities to promote education in the catchment and connect students to opportunities after school and other life transforming ventures.

“Most of the students don’t actually know where the courses they are studying will land them in future, that makes it necessary to embarked on this mentorship program to motivate them,” said Dr. Daniel Twumasi, Environmental and Sustainability Manager at Asanko Gold.

Speaking to Adom news, he said company also plans to take expose the students to internship programs.

“When it comes to national service and graduate training programs, we prioritize students from our catchment area,” he said.

Dr Twumasi affirm the mining company’s intervention is part of the broader goal of enhancing education in the catchment communities.

“We prioritize students from the catchment communities after national service. We have two-year graduate program that the students who have finished school can take advantage of, and at that stage you are practically working because you would have learnt a little bit after the national service and the graduate program is where you take off,” he stated.

He said if there are vacancies after the graduate program, you are taken on.

“The graduate training program is structured in a way to create a talent poll, so vacancies that come up after the graduate program they prioritize those candidates who have gone through the graduate training program,” he expressed.

Some staff of Asanko Gold Mine advised the students to take their academia serious and assured them of employment.

The initiative seeks to enhance the entrepreneurial capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners in Ghana as part of the company’s commitment to fostering economic growth and personal empowerment for women.

This gender-inclusive initiative is designed to provide participants with essential business skills, ensuring that they are better equipped to manage, grow, and sustain their businesses.

The fifth cohort of the program saw 250 entrepreneurs comprising 233 women, and 17 men, trained to gain critical insights into financial management, such as budgeting, pricing strategies, and securing loans for business expansion.

The program also delved into marketing techniques, enabling the participants to better position their products and services in competitive markets.

The Sinapi Aba Women Mentorship Program was founded on the belief that entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for improving livelihoods and fostering economic development, especially for women.

Limited access to capital, inadequate training in business management, and social constraints often leave women entrepreneurs operating below their potential.

Focusing on mentorship and hands-on training, the program aims to bridge these gaps by providing practical skills in financial literacy, leadership, customer service, marketing, and business planning.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held in Tamale, the Chief Programs Officer of Sinapi Aba, Joyce Owusu-Dabo revealed the benefits achieved under the program.

“The outcomes of the program are already evident, with many participants reporting significant improvements in their business operations in the areas of enhanced customer satisfaction, streamlined financial processes for better profitability, increases in staff strength and confidence in business and social management,” she said.

She further mentioned that going forward, Sinapi Aba intends to continue fostering a strong network of entrepreneurs who can mentor others, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and growth.

The mentorship program provided them with a platform to not only learn but also network with other business owners, creating a community of support and shared knowledge.

Since its inception, over thousands of individuals, especially women, have benefited from the program emphasizing Sinapi Aba commitment gender equity in the business landscape.