The SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, through its European Union (EU) and Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands-funded GrEEn project, has awarded matching grants of up to €25,000 to 12 green entrepreneurs from the Ashanti and Western Regions to help them grow their businesses and create jobs.
Mending Papers Limited, one of five businesses from the Western Region, received a grant and was awarded €25,000 (GH¢175,000) to build a factory.
The company, a paper and package-making business that processes farm waste such as plantain and banana stems, corn husks and other produce into paper packages, has so far inaugurated a factory to expand its operations at Tarkwa in the Western Region.
The grant for the factory was awarded through the GrEEn Innovation Challenge (GIC), a financial support for innovative green businesses to upscale their business. Using the matching grants, Mending Papers Ltd. has constructed a production site, installed a solar-dryer, and dug a borehole to support its operations.
The company’s Chief Executive, Joana Arthur, was also trained under SNV Ghana’s six-month GrEEn Incubation Programme facilitated by U-hub at the University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa. Under this training, she received business coaching and advisory support.
As a result of the GrEEn Incubation Programme, she discovered alternatives to manufacture the paper she uses for producing the bags. Mending Papers currently specialises in manufacturing a diverse range of paper products – including recycled paper, packaging materials and office supplies.
By utilising innovative recycling techniques and sustainable materials, the company aims to reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and promote a circular economy.
With support from the SNV GrEEn Project, the company aims at contributing to the economic growth and employment opportunities in Tarkwa, while also focusing on enhancing environmental sustainability.
“SNV’s aim is to support green businesses, and with funding from the European Union, we have been doing this under the GrEEn Project. Joana’s is a perfect example of a business that is sustainable and providing alternative eco-friendly packages, and so we were extremely impressed when she applied for a grant under the GrEEn Innovation Challenge and saw the potential of her business idea and the great impact it will have on our environment. Mending Papers is one of the SMEs that has shown massive improvement and is making impact after receiving financial support from SNV and the EU,” noted Genevieve Parker-Twum, Senior Incubation and Acceleration Advisor on the GrEEn Project.
Ms. Arthur expressed appreciation to the European Union, Netherlands Embassy and SNV Ghana for the financial and business advisory support she received to grow her business.
“I could not have achieved this great feat without intervention from the GrEEn Project. Before, Ghana was known as the Gateway to Africa, but we do not hear that these days. Rwanda is now in the limelight, and it is because they have abandoned plastic bags and adopted the use of paper bags. That is my vision for Ghana and the reason I came up with these eco-friendly alternatives of manufacturing my bags,” she said.
According to her, one of the biggest challenges in the production of her paper bags was the constant rain in Tarkwa, which made it difficult to dry her paper sheets; but with construction of the solar drying facility, she will now be able to meet demand.
“We are looking at a future wherein Ghanaians will adapt to the use of paper bags instead of poly bags; and I am proud of myself because my business is providing this option and helping to solve the issue of choked drains and gutters due to plastic waste,” she added.
“Growing up in this community, there was no flooding as compared to now. We did not experience any issues in the community even after a heavy downpour because the drainage system was good, with no choked gutters. But now, many places get flooded whenever it rains. We were not afraid to walk in some areas when it was raining, but it’s not the same today.
“Traditional plastic bags also take a long time to decompose, but with our paper bags, it is biodegradable as it is plant-based though durable,” she stated.
Due to the training and matching grant from the European Union, Joana says that Mending Papers has experienced growth in the past two years. Her daily production has increased from 50 bags to over 300 bags. Her business currently sells to individuals, especially for events such as weddings and funerals.
The Mending Papers Company’s operations in Tarkwa are expected to generate employment opportunities, and contribute to the local economy by promoting sustainable practices. Its operations in the region will also foster knowledge transfer and encourage the adoption of eco-friendly solutions among other businesses.
