SNV Ghana has awarded 51 green start-ups with almost GH₵1.3m matching grants as part of its GrEEn Business Plan Competition for entrepreneurs in the Ashanti and Western Regions.
Winners were awarded grants ranging between GH₵35,000 and GH₵75,000; and 14 others were given machinery support totalling a little over GH₵211,000.
According to the Project Manager of the GrEEn Project at SNV Ghana, Laouali Sadda, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation is implementing a four-year joint project with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) with funding from the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands.
“The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) project is being implemented in the Western and the Ashanti Regions, with the objective of contributing to addressing the root causes of irregular migration by supporting sustainable and climate-resilient local economies, and creating green and decent jobs as well as enterprises.
“To this end, the competition is to ensure the green businesses and startups grow their business and also create jobs,” Mr. Sadda noted.
The categories as represented include female-led business wherein six businesses were awarded various sums of money; business led by under 30-year olds had five winners; Youth Cooperative/community group business had 14 winners; and two people won the business led by returning migrants category.
Also, businesses led by cash for work service recipients who have transitioned/or completed Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE) training got two winners; Business technology with nexus in food system and/or renewable energy and/or Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) saw 6 winners in that category; and scalable technology that promotes resource efficiency had 2 winners.
GrEEn Regional Trade Show
As part of the GrEEn Project, SNV Ghana launched the second of its GrEEn Regional Trade Shows in Kumasi after Takoradi.
The six-day exhibition and dialogue is under the theme ‘Sustainable Trade Investment, the Future for the Ghanaian Economy’.
The green businesses from SNV’s GrEEn Incubation and Acceleration Programme in the region will be showcasing and exhibiting their products and services; and key stakeholders, and actors in Ghana’s circular economy and green sector will be engaging in discussions on opportunities, challenges and learning in the sector.
About GrEEn Project
The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) project is a four-year action from the European Union, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
The project aims at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for youths, women and returning migrants by promoting and supporting sustainable green businesses in two selected regions of Ghana – Ashanti and Western. GrEEn is implemented under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa.
