The beneficiaries, drawn from Accra, Ashanti, and Western Regions, will receive financial assistance for up to GHS10, 000 and technical training to effectively manage and scale up their businesses.

The MTN Foundation in partnership with Innohub Foundation launched the initiative in March this year to support SMEs owned by women, youth and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to grow their business and create employment opportunities.

The Programme has targeted 500 beneficiaries in the next five years.
Speaking at a ceremony in Accra on Thursday to announce the first batch of beneficiaries, Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN Ghana, said a total of 140 SMEs were selected as beneficiaries for the first year.

She said the Programme would offer financial assistance, training and technical support to the selected SMEs to grow their businesses and make positive impacts in their respective communities.

“This Programme is under the pillar of economic empowerment of the Foundation. We want to be able to empower people to grow businesses.

“We take cognizance of the fact that SMEs have trouble accessing finance for their businesses so it is in that light that we decided it would be useful to initiate a programme like this to help such businesses to grow,” she said.

Mr. Robert Kuzoe, Senior Manager for Sustainability and Social Impact of MTN Ghana Foundation, encouraged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the support offered them to transform their businesses and empower other people in their communities through employment creation.

Mr. Nelson Amo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Innohub Foundation, expressed gratitude to MTN for the programme, adding that the initiative would unlock growth opportunities for SMEs and accelerate youth entrepreneurship.

He said about 5,000 jobs could be created at the end of the programme.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Alexander Tetteh, the Executive Director of the Centre for the Employment of PWDs, expressed profound gratitude to MTN for the support and pledged to use the monies received for the intended purpose.

The MTN Enterprise Support Programme targets businesses within the agribusiness value chain, fashion, food processing, cosmetic production, fish processing, renewable energy and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).