Over 125 green micro, small, and medium enterprises in the Ashanti and Western Regions have completed the SNV GrEEn Incubation Programme, receiving essential enterprise development training.
Barbara White Nkoala, Country Director of SNV Ghana, emphasized the significance of investing in green start-ups to drive sustainable development.
“Businesses need ongoing support and investment. Running a business is a difficult undertaking. Yet the youth and women who are brave to start. There are a lot of challenges they have to overcome and need investment. We must ensure their businesses succeed.”
The programme provides beneficiaries with access to markets, networks, and expert mentorship, mitigating complexities that often challenge youth and women’s business startups.
The close-out and award ceremony marked the official conclusion of the 4-year project, acknowledging the work of implementing partners and innovative green entrepreneurs.
Laouali Sadda, Project Manager of the GrEEn project at SNV Ghana, expressed confidence in the viability of beneficiaries.
“One of the key things we focused on was sustainability, and we believe that beneficiaries have been equipped to that level. We ensured that the support could continue their business and expand them as well.”
Through initiatives like the Green Innovation Challenge and the Young Entrepreneurs and Startups Support (YESS) Fund, the project has provided significant grants to scale up green businesses, contributing to Ghana’s green and climate-resilient economy.
Award categories included Most Performing SME, Innovative Green Business, Best Female-Led Business, Most Transformed Business, Rising Star, and Overall Best SME.
The GrEEn project is a collaborative effort involving the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund.
Source:dailymailgh