Empowering Ghana’s young women entrepreneurs: Social Enterprise Accelerator Programme spurs growth, jobs, and innovation – Nsemkeka

Empowering Ghana’s young women entrepreneurs: Social Enterprise Accelerator Programme spurs growth, jobs, and innovation – Nsemkeka

As part of its efforts to promote the potential of young women-led social enterprises in Ghana, Densu Associates, a social enterprise supporting mission-driven organisations across Africa, has launched a Social Enterprise Accelerator (SEA) pilot Programme.

Implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the programme is already delivering transformative results: 74 new jobs created, 840 individuals impacted through community reinvestment, and over GH₵260,000 mobilised in capital, Accra.

Launched in November 2024, the SEA Programme selected 12 promising social enterprises operating in the Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, North East, and Upper East regions.

These enterprises, either led by young women or focused on improving the lives of women, received a comprehensive support package including grant funding, one-to-one mentorship, coaching, peer learning, and masterclasses.

The aim was to equip participants with the skills, resources, and confidence needed to build sustainable businesses that positively impact their communities.

As part of the programme, Densu Associates closely monitored the entrepreneurs’ progress, using their experiences to shape future plans for scaling the initiative.

Insights and outcomes were shared during a Learning Forum that brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from government, donor and partner organisations, academia, and the media.

According to the organisation’s research, one of the most striking revelations is the overwhelming challenge of access to funding.

A significant 92% of participants identified lack of capital as their biggest barrier to growth. This financial constraint limits entrepreneurs’ ability to scale operations, innovate, and enter new markets.

Another 50% reported difficulties in building partnerships and collaborations, while 42% cited legal and regulatory obstacles such as business registration delays, unclear tax policies, and an overall lack of supportive legal frameworks for social enterprises.

Other commonly mentioned challenges included limited access to technology and socio-cultural norms that disproportionately affect women entrepreneurs.

Despite these hurdles, the SEA Programme has delivered results and been widely praised by participants. Coaching support also made a notable impact.

Some of the participants successfully developed comprehensive business and sustainability plans, while 24% improved their financial management skills and 21% enhanced their legal and regulatory compliance, all through expert guidance provided by the programme.

The programme’s benefits extended beyond business performance. The 12 enterprises collectively created 74 new jobs and provided 87 internship, volunteer, and training opportunities.

SEA participants also mobilised GHC 260,062 in capital from grants, investments, and internally generated income—an indicator of their increased financial capacity and confidence. Furthermore, the broader impact of their work was evident in the 840 individuals reached through their advocacy and community engagement efforts.

Recognition has followed results. About 75% of SEA participants received awards, media features, or other forms of public acknowledgement that have helped boost their credibility and expand their networks.

For many of these young women, the programme not only sharpened their business acumen but also gave them the visibility and validation needed to take their enterprises to the next level.

The SEA Learning Forum marked a critical moment of reflection and future planning. It allowed entrepreneurs, coaches, and stakeholders to share experiences, celebrate achievements, and discuss the path forward for social entrepreneurship in Ghana.

The pilot phase has clearly demonstrated the potential of a flexible, well-supported accelerator model to deliver meaningful impact.

As Nafisa Yussif, the representative from the Mastercard Foundation, noted, “The SEA pilot has proven that when young women are given the right support, they don’t just build businesses—they build movements.”

With the success of the pilot phase, Densu Associates is now focused on scaling the SEA Programme to reach more regions and support a broader network of entrepreneurs.