OUR PROJECTS

To understand the community’s needs, Patriots Ghana conducted comprehensive research, interviewing 100 residents (58 females and 42 males). The findings revealed that 90% of the community is engaged in agribusiness, with 49% citing financial resource limitations and 33% indicating low production and revenue as primary business challenges. This data aligns with the Ghana Statistical Service census, which shows that 75.8% of Awutu Senya district residents are involved in crop farming, with 53.8% in related occupations. Furthermore, 51.7% of the population over 11 years old is illiterate in English, limiting their access to digital financial services and basic financial literacy.

To address these challenges, Patriots Ghana launched a pilot microfinance project, providing an average of $150 to support rural women in agriculture within the Awutu Senya District. The project’s short- and long-term goals are to inspire financial independence and create equitable financial and social freedom for women and youth in agriculture. The pilot, which began with five women, provided loans of $150, repayable over ten months. All participants repaid the loans successfully, with most completing payments within eight months. The project expanded to include 14 women in January 2017 and nine women between 2019 and 2020, each receiving up to $200.

Rural entrepreneurs in Ghana often face challenges such as high-interest rates and limited financial inclusion, which can hinder their businesses’ growth and sustainability. The WEFLI project addresses these issues by providing financial literacy training, business growth advising, and marketing strategies. The project also establishes a family-based relationship model, fostering a supportive environment for the women and encouraging co-responsibility in loan repayment, creating opportunities for other community members.

To tackle basic literacy issues, the project includes the “Brainy Keepers” initiative, where educated youth from the community receive training in data recording and financial literacy. These youth volunteers receive educational supplies as incentives and help disseminate knowledge to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Marketing challenges are also addressed, as women entrepreneurs in Akufful Krodua often sell their products directly to consumers, facing stiff competition. The project aims to enhance their market influence through strategic partnerships, critical market evaluation, and expanding their customer base.

Financial literacy is a core focus of WEFLI, given the limited formal education among beneficiaries. Training workshops include participatory activities and real-life scenarios to help women understand and reflect on the material. The project offers free workshops and training, emphasizing budgeting, saving, bookkeeping, business planning, and e-commerce.

The WEFLI project stands out for its small interest rates, flexible payment plans, and free educational workshops, making it highly suitable for rural communities. The project includes a Training of Trainers approach, with group leaders and Brainy Keepers trained to extend the impact beyond the initial participants. This sustainability plan aims to expand the project’s benefits to more women in the Akufful Krodua community and beyond, ensuring long-term empowerment and economic development.