The State of Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV), has selected five Ghanaian entrepreneurs and three health-care institutions to receive grants worth GH¢422,612 to support them in their quest to implement capacity building projects.
Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Shani Cooper – speaking at the MASHAV Grant Awards, congratulated the selected businesses on the grant; indicating that this year 17 qualified Ghanaians submitted their proposals, out of which eight of them were chosen to receive the grant.
She added that out of the hundreds of proposals received from about 30 African countries, the clarity of ideas, sustainability of project and originality of innovation from Ghanaian applications were the best, hence Ghana getting the highest amount of grant.
“These grants are part of Israeli commitment to the development of Ghana, a commitment that began back in 1958 and continued for decades until today. The State of Israel has contributed to Ghana over the years by training thousands of Ghanaians in agriculture, health, women empowerment, education and other sectors; sharing our know-how and sending aid when needed. A lot of MASHAV alumni are now successful business-people and government officials; we are proud of them,” she said.
The projects selected are those centred around three main sectors: agriculture, innovation and health. Three different projects were picked in agriculture: fresh herbs shed-houses; beekeeping training; and field-research on plantain harvests to reduce post-harvest losses.
Two projects in the field of innovation include the maker-place for zero-plastic project; and digitalisation of the Mem-Chemfre savings and loans scheme. In the health sector, two neo-natal units in Suntreso and Kumasi South Hospital as well as a mobile clinic of Gye Nyame in the Ashanti Region were selected for the grant.
The five start-up CEOs benefitting from the MASHAV grant included Nada Danya Asare, who received a grant worth GH¢57,000; Richard Kwame Karikari, GH¢48,000 for training new honey farmers and purchasing 100 beehives; Dr. Ernest Teye, GH¢57,000 for field-research into reducing post-harvest losses for plantain; Nii Nookwei Tackie, GH¢57,000; and Kelechi Victor Ofoegbu of Impact Hub, GH¢57,00, Zero plastic maker space room.
The recipients expressed excitement for the support and promised to put the funds to maximum value in order to achieve set-out objectives for which they were given.
