Theme: Creating Sustainable Alternative Livelihood Options for Gari Processors in the Eastern Region of Ghana
About the project
The project 'Youth and rural women entrepreneurship: Creating and sustaining alternative livelihood options in Ghana' is a collaboration between McGill University, the University of Ghana Nutrition Research and Training Centre (NRTC), the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) to create a business hub at the NRTC, through which university graduate entrepreneurs will be connected with women working on gari processing in Sekesua (Eastern
Region) and supported to develop joint business proposals. Successfully formed partnerships will compete for start-up funding through a national Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition (EPC) organized by AGI.
This year’s EPC will be held on the 14th of September 2023 at the Accra International Conference Centre during the Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition (GISE). Seven (7) teams made up of graduates and Sekesua women will be selected to present their novel business proposal ideas. Two representatives from each team will receive round-trip transportation and accommodation in Accra to pitch their idea to a panel of experts and potential investors for an opportunity to win seed funding and mentorship.
Desired alternative livelihoods
Proposed business ideas must focus on one of the following alternative livelihood options that have been proposed by women gari processors:
1. Liquid soap and shampoo making
2. Animal farming: goat, poultry, rabbits, fish, snail, grasscutter
3. Mushroom farming
4. Palm oil manufacturing
5. Cashew farming
6. Pastry: Soya beans cake
7. Retailing: Provision store and agrochemical store
Eligibility
1. The individual or team must be passionate about forming economic partnerships with rural women gari processors to create an enterprise that will diversify women’s economic livelihoods.
2. The proposed business idea must be scalable, sustainable and market-oriented.
3. The individual or team members must be university graduates between 20 and 35 years old.
4. Individuals or team members may be from partners of the McGill University Mastercard Foundation Transitions Project (Ashesi University, Bolgatanga Technical University, Ho Technical University, Koforidua Technical University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, University of Ghana, University of Health and Allied Sciences) or other universities in Ghana.
*Collaboration among participants from partner institutions is strongly encouraged.
Click to apply:
https://www.cognitoforms.com/McGillUniversity7/YouthAndRuralWomenEntrepreneurshipCreatingAndSustainingAlternativeLivelihoodOptionsInGhana
A complete application must be submitted latest by 23rd June 2023
