The five-day training took place in Akumadan, the capital of the Offinso North District in the Ashanti Region.

Practical skills for nutrition and business

Working in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, GEA aims to equip young women with employable skills for job creation and self-employment.

Participants learned about the nutritional and commercial value of cereal-based foods, gaining hands-on experience in blending, processing, and packaging cereal mixes. The products are designed for household use, local markets, and in line with paediatric nutrition best practices.

Startup kits to build sustainable enterprises

After the training, each participant received startup kits to help launch or grow their businesses. GEA described the distribution as “a deliberate investment in livelihoods” to help women generate income and build sustainable enterprises.

Part of a larger youth agribusiness project

The intervention falls under the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) project, an initiative of the MasterCard Foundation. It is implemented in partnership with Agaric-Impact Limited and a consortium of eight partners, including GEA.

Officials encourage beneficiaries to think long-term

At the distribution ceremony, Offinso North Business Adviser Mrs. Rashida Araba Abass urged participants to see the kits as productive assets, not just tools.

“These startup kits are not just tools, they are productive assets. When protected, valued and strategically utilized, they become instruments for income generation, enterprise growth, and community development.”

She thanked the GEA trainers and the MasterCard Foundation for their collaboration.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Ceaser Ofosu Acheampong, also encouraged beneficiaries to make good use of their new knowledge and skills.

“This life-changing initiative is necessary to economically position beneficiaries,” he said, urging them to put both their training and startup kits to good use to help develop their communities.

He commended GEA and the MasterCard Foundation and pledged the assembly’s support for more such programmes.