Economic Growth Ghana Project #42947

Sponsor a Women to Start Her Own Business in Ghana

by Action Change (Formerly GVI Trust)

Project Report | Jul 7, 2026
Equal opportuntities

By shayle havemann | Project leader

The only way we can tackle all the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is through training, investment and job creation and this is what is at the heart of this project. A gift to this project helps our women take the first step to a future as a female entrepreneur. This helps tackle the inequality of gender across Africa.

We get to know the women as they sign up and join our 6-week training program and therefore we are in the best position to identify women that graduate and have the drive to set up their own business but are presented with a block due to funding. We will continue to provide graduates with support and access to sewing machines, stoves and computers but with a small start-up grant to purchase essential supplies is often the only thing needed to support local women start her very own business.

By having an income, families will have the means to independently pay for food, education and healthcare which will again reduce dependency and contribute to economic growth.

A donation of just $10 provides enough fabric for one woman to kick start her business and make 4 items to sell, thank you for your support.

Permalink

Mar 9, 2026
Elmina Community Are Taking Over Our Project

By Tyrone Bennett | CEO of Action Change

Akwaaba everyone,

It feels like a lifetime ago that we started our first program in Elmina, but looking at the calendar, it has actually been eight years. Thanks for stopping by to read this. Your support has been the engine behind everything we’ve done here, and I want to make sure you know exactly where that energy is going.

We have a massive milestone in our sights: we believe 2026 is going to be our final year in this specific community.

When we look back at the 300 women who have walked through our doors, it is hard not to get emotional. Every single one of them has moved into employment, and over the last four years, we have seen their work go from training pieces to a polished product that is selling at the famous tourist spot by the old slave castle on the Cape Coast. We have reached a point where eight of our alumni are fully employed, and we are finally turning a profit.

The goal now is simple but bold: we want to hand the keys over to the local community by November 2026. We are not just walking away, of course we will stick around as mentors but these women are ready to own this. They have the skills, the drive, and the plan to make this project financially sustain itself for the Elmina fishing community for years to come.

To make that final handover a reality, we need one last push to upgrade our machinery this year. If we get this tech upgrade, we know the project will be standing on its own two feet long after we’ve moved on.

And that is where it gets interesting.

I am spending the first few months of 2027 in Accra and the surrounding urban townships. We are already mapping out our next women’s empowerment program. This means 2026 is a huge transition year for us. We are balancing an exit strategy in Elmina with a major fundraising push to secure a new space, buy new equipment, and train up the local leaders who will run the show in Accra.

We have the Little by Little campaign coming up on GlobalGiving from March 17th to the 20th. Since every donation up to 50 dollars gets a 50 percent match, this is our best shot at clearing those final equipment costs in Elmina and stacking up the runway we need for Accra.

Mark your calendars for March 17th. We would love it if you shared this story with your people. We are not just finishing one project; we are setting the foundation for the next chapter.

Thanks for being in our corner. It means everything to me and the women we work with.

Permalink

Nov 3, 2025
A New Product Launched with Love

By Dorcas | Sewing Teacher

Hello friends

I wanted to send you an update on our work supporting social entrepreneurs in Africa and share both the progress we’re seeing and the work still ahead

Over the past few months we have continued identifying passionate women and young leaders who are building businesses to solve local problems, whether that is providing essential services, offering new employment opportunities or bringing innovation to underserved communities. We support them with starter grants, mentorship and business training and already we are hearing encouraging stories of entrepreneurs producing goods and laying the groundwork for sustainable enterprises

One recent participant used her support to purchase materials and create reusable bags and eco friendly accessories. These items are now for sale and if you would like a copy of the catalogue please email hello@actionchange.org and we would be happy to share it. If you are looking for a branded corporate gift we hand make iPad cases, laptop bags, pencil cases and much more. Hand made with love and your logo included. Get in touch

Despite these positive stories our funding remains limited. With only a few grants and resources we are reaching fewer entrepreneurs than we would like. Many talented people are waiting for support, people who could create jobs, inspire others and transform their communities

When you contribute you are enabling us to back more of these bold entrepreneurs. Even a small amount can cover materials for one business, a mentor session or access to market linkages. The ripple effect is big, one business can employ people, support families and expand economic opportunity

Thank you for being part of this journey. Together we are giving community led innovators a chance to thrive and helping build a future where social enterprise is possible and powerful

Warm regards

Permalink

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.