Springboard Road Show Foundation has unveiled its groundbreaking Empower 360 initiative, a comprehensive program designed to boost economic opportunities for young women and persons with disabilities in Ghana’s agricultural and ATVET sector. The initiative, part of the broader Ghana Grows Program, marks a significant step forward in promoting inclusivity in agricultural entrepreneurship.
The program kicked off with its pilot session from December 16 to December 20, 2024, at the ICGC New Wine Temple in East Legon, Accra. Twenty-four participants received specialized training from the Ghana Grows mushroom farming module, facilitated by Emmanuel Twene, CEO of Sabet Agri Consult/QET Organic Farms, a Youth-Led Organisation under the Empower 360 initiative.
“Empower 360 represents our commitment to ensuring no one is left behind in this mindset shift program” said Comfort Ocran, Executive Director of Springboard Road Show Foundation. The initiative specifically targets Youth-Led Organizations (YLOs), who demonstrate strong digital presence and growth potential, and women and persons with disabilities under 35 who are passionate about starting a business.
The program comes in five parts which include identification of YLOs, capacity building of YLOs, signing of MOU, job creation training for participants, and practical support through starter packs. Selected Youth-Led Organizations undergo a 3-day capacity building training program, culminating in a formal partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding with Springboard Road Show Foundation.
The Ghana Federation of Persons with Disability, Food and Drugs Authority, Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax Services, and Axis Human Capital have partnered with the initiative to provide comprehensive training in regulatory compliance, ethical business practices, and leadership development.
To ensure sustained impact, the program implements a robust support system featuring e-mentoring, physical visits by zonal coordinators, and weekly online community interactions to track the progress and impact of participating ventures.
The initiative stands out for its practical approach to entrepreneurship development. Participants receive starter packs tailored to their training program, enabling immediate business launch after the training. This practical support addresses one of the key challenges faced by young people desiring to start a business, which is access to start-up capital.
Princess Morty, a beneficiary of Empower360 opined, “Thank you to the Ghana Grows Program for giving me this opportunity. It has launched me into pursuing something purposeful in my life. The experience and training are rich, and I believe i will go really far.”
Empower 360 offers more than just training; it provides a pathway to economic independence through agricultural entrepreneurship. The focus on mushroom farming in the pilot program demonstrates the initiative’s commitment to exploring lucrative business opportunities in the extended agriculture value chain.