Access Bank has provided financial backing to three women entrepreneurs in the agribusiness sector through its “Access W” initiative.
Each recipient received GH¢100,000.00 in seed capital as part of the Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Thon program, a facet of the “Access W” initiative aimed at amplifying their businesses and facilitating access to capital.
From a pool of 50 female entrepreneurs who participated in the 2023 Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Thon, Ruth Wewura Guribi, CEO of Sava Shea; Rosemond Afua Afful, Founder of Ayden Ventures; and Augustina Akosua Asor Tufuor, CEO of Tropical Snack, emerged as the top three winners, each receiving GH¢100,000.00.
Initiated in 2019, the five-month program offers female-owned businesses across Africa the opportunity to access finance, receive top-tier business training, and benefit from mentoring opportunities to propel their ventures forward.
Pearl Nkrumah, Executive Director for Retail and Digital Banking at Access Bank, explained that the winning entrepreneurs were identified based on the strength of their ideas and proof of concept.
The program aims to inspire and empower women to become investor-ready while providing them with a platform to showcase their products, with support from partners such as Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Agriculture and Finance Consultants (AFC).
Additionally, the program focuses on providing access to markets by instilling the behaviors needed to make their businesses attractive to lenders.
The fifth edition of the program targeted women in the agribusiness value chain, with the aim of generating a multiplier effect in terms of job creation and value addition.
Ms. Guribi expressed gratitude for the seed capital, stating that it will help restructure her business, procure equipment to boost productivity, and create job opportunities.
While acknowledging access to finance as a key challenge for SMEs, she urged financial institutions to make their lending terms and conditions more flexible for entrepreneurs.
Matilda Asante-Asiedu, Group Head of Retail Banking at Access Bank, assured all 50 finalists of the bank’s unwavering support in their entrepreneurial journey. She announced plans to establish a Womenpreneur Alumni group to further demonstrate the bank’s commitment to their growth and success.
