The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has organised a five-day capacity building in ICT for over 60 selected women entrepreneurs engaged in the business of tailoring, beads making, soap making, dressmaking and other vocational skill, in Accra.
The training programme was funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and under the Ghana Institutional Support Programme (GISP) that seek to create an enabling environment for inclusive economic growth.
NBSSI has so far organised a total of 34 ICT training workshops which has benefitted about 1,026 female-owned businesses across the country with the main aim of enhancing the capacity and confidence of such enterprises to take advantage of the global economic market.
Participants of the week-long training were introduced to various topics including Microsoft Windows, internet, online and social media marketing as a means of promoting their brands and expanding their reach.
Greater Accra Regional Manager of the NBSSI, Mrs. Philomina Dsane, told the B&FT that the programme was in line with her outfit’s mandate to empower small and medium sized enterprises in the country, especially female-owned businesses.
She added: “NBSSI has developed specific programmes to economically empower the youth and women through enhanced services built on pillars such as access to finance, capacity development, coaching and mentoring as well as technical support.
She encouraged participants of the workshop to use the skills acquired to enhance their operations.
Nana Amina Baiden Sackey, a participant and CEO of HP Home Products–food and detergents firm, shared her experience with the B&FT: “We have been introduced to how we can organise our work, write business proposal as well as how to do presentation when soliciting for s grant.
Now with the help of internet, we will be able to upload and market what we produce on the various social media platforms aside connecting with our business partners and potential customers.
She added: “I encourage women entrepreneurs to leverage the internet to promote their business to improve their selling level, boost attract customers and help to create more jobs. This is what we have been exposed to over the last five days.”
The NBSSI is the lead governmental agency for the promotion and development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector with the view of contributing substantially to job and wealth creation as well as making the sector more competitive and vibrant.
