Women entrepreneurs in the small and medium scale sector have been urged to be very conscious in the management of their businesses to help sustain their operations.
Mrs Rita Krampah, Corporate Trainer and Social Entrepreneur, who made the call, said women’s’ economic empowerment gave them life choices and financial independence, which were essential for their freedom and made them less vulnerable.
Mrs Krampah made the call at a leadership summit organised by Self Help International (SSI), a Kumasi-based NGO, dedicated to empowering women and young girls in various sectors and providing micro credit for rural women.
The leadership summit, which was on the theme: ‘Take Charge’, was aimed at creating a platform for the women to share ideas and experiences on the various businesses they have established.
It was also aimed at identifying the various loopholes and obstacles to doing businesses, especially at the rural level, and come out with suggestions as to how to overcome these obstacles.
About 450 women
from some rural communities in Ashanti region, who are beneficiaries of the organization’s programmes, attended the summit.
The Summit also promoted networking and afforded them the opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences.
Mrs. Krampah advised women to be careful about their spending and the places they invest their monies.
She said that they must not be wasteful but pay themselves salaries from their incomes of the business.
She also urged women to take care of their health and undertake regular check-ups to know their health status.
Mrs. Krampah further advised women to pay back the loans to enable them to access more to expand their businesses.
Nana Ama Offei Quartey, Ashanti Regional Assistant Officer for Women in Agricultural Development at the Department of Agricultural in Ashanti Region, called on women to add value to their products and improve packaging as well.
She also advised women to take in well-balanced diet to improve their health.
Mr. Benjamin Kusi, Country Director of SHI,
said the NGOs was committed to the economic empowerment of rural women.
He said the organization started with 20 women in the micro finance project at Serebuorso in 1999 but now over 800 women were being supported in their businesses.
Mr Kusi pointed out that economic empowerment of women would reduce poverty, bring peace in the home and promote the growth and development of the family and society at large.
Source: Ghana News Agency