Over one hundred women entrepreneurs gathered in Tamale for a transformational one-day workshop targeted at enhancing business acumen in the informal sectors like weaving, fashion and design, agribusiness processing, and more. Organized by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana) with funding from the African Women’s Development Fund, this initiative aimed to provide these women with critical business skills. These skills included identifying opportunities, effective entry strategies, sales and marketing tactics, branding, innovation, and meticulous record-keeping. The focus was on equipping women to navigate and thrive within their respective industries, thereby boosting local economies.
Fostering Innovation and Market Expansion
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, the Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, underscored the workshop’s goal of empowering young women to efficiently manage their enterprises while increasing profitability. This empowerment is crucial as it allows women to play a significant role in the local economy, adding value through their enhanced capabilities. Participants were also introduced to vital social protection policies like the Re-entry Policy, the National Health Insurance Scheme, and the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan. These policies are designed to promote their social and economic rights, providing a safety net that encourages entrepreneurship and risk-taking.
Madam Humaimatu Abdul-Wahab from the Northern Regional Directorate of TVET spoke emphatically on the importance of creativity, digitalization, and innovation for market expansion and business growth. She pointed out that embracing new technologies and innovative practices can open up new markets and opportunities, thus creating a ripple effect that benefits the broader local economy. By leveraging these tools, women entrepreneurs can significantly contribute to the economic fabric of their communities, fostering sustainability and resilience in the long run.
Building Customer-Centric Businesses
More than a hundred women entrepreneurs convened in Tamale for a one-day workshop designed to uplift business skills in informal sectors such as weaving, fashion and design, agribusiness processing, and more. This enriching event was spearheaded by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana) and funded by the African Women’s Development Fund. The primary goal was to endow these women with crucial business capabilities, including opportunity identification, effective market entry strategies, sales and marketing tactics, branding, innovation, and detailed record-keeping.
Participants were provided with actionable insights aimed at helping them excel and sustain their businesses within their respective fields. By focusing on these key areas, the workshop aimed to empower women to better navigate the challenges of their industries, thus fostering more resilient and prosperous local economies. The initiative underscores the importance of equipping women with the tools they need to succeed, ultimately contributing to broader economic development and social progress in the community.
