The Challenge Although women operate more than 40 percent of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, they rarely have access to the tools they need for their      businesses to succeed. A financing gap of $42 billion exists between male and female entrepreneurs on the continent. Women face challenges gaining access to the knowledge and […]

The Challenge Millions of women living in the semi-arid “Shea Belt” that spans the Sahel region make their livelihood collecting shea nuts and processing them into shea butter. The global market for shea has seen exponential growth as the ingredient has become vital for the beauty and food industries. While Ghana is one of the […]

The Challenge In Senegal, people of low and middle income confront disparities in access to quality health services. In the critical sector of women’s and children’s care, people outside the capital also face acute geographical disparities, as the majority of services are concentrated in the center of Dakar, leaving the rest of the country underserved. […]

Savannah Fruits Company Achieving Equity in the Shea Value Chain Rahma Alhassan dips her hands into a silver pan filled with hundreds of shea nuts. She is surrounded by other women from her community, all conversing animatedly as they are entering the compound, gracefully balancing loaded pans, carefully washing the nuts, rhythmically kneading shea paste. […]

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the significant impact women-led businesses can have on economies and societies globally. In West Africa, women have played a pivotal role in driving economic growth and social development; however, despite their significant contributions, women-led/owned businesses often face numerous challenges in accessing finance, knowledge, and skill-building […]

Aminata Mbaye, Deputy Chief of Party of the Trade Hub, Shares Her Thoughts and Experiences By Akua Mensah, Communication Specialist Aminata Mbaye is currently the Deputy Chief of Party (Grants and Administration) for the West Africa Trade & Investment Hub activity. With over 20 years of experience in international development, particularly for USAID-funded projects, Aminata […]

According to the Africa Development Bank (AFDB), women make up almost 50 percent of the agricultural labor force in sub-Saharan Africa. These women work primarily in smallholder production; however, they receive a significantly lower share of income in comparison to men in the same sub-sector. Factors ranging from age, ethnicity, religion, and disability are barriers […]

By Fatima Datt, Communications Specialist Growing up as the youngest of five children, Salamba Diene saw early on the costs and sacrifices of running a family business; a business she felt she would take over one day. Salamba’s family was entrepreneurial, especially her mother, Adama Diop. She tried her hand in businesses ranging from waste […]

By Akua Mensah, Communication Specialist In many rural areas in northern Ghana, two key issues intersect.   Nearly 35 percent 1 of land in Ghana is under threat of desertification, with much of this land located in the northern part of the country. In these areas, households depend heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods. Thus, land […]

Lena Tall Faye contribue par l’assainissement à assurer la sécurité et la santé des communautés au Sénégal tout en développant son entreprise Delta S.A dans le cadre d’un partenariat avec le West Africa Trade & Investment Hub de l’USAID. Fatima Datt, Communication Specialist Étant l’aînée d’une famille de huit enfants, Lena Tall Faye ressent très […]

Twenty-one-year-old Waïba Agoro learned the basics of hive management and collecting honey and beeswax through her family’s beekeeping business. In her small farming community, Affem-Boussou, located in Togo’s Central Region, the income she generates from selling honey and beeswax provides a steady stream of income, especially in the dry season when money can be hard […]

By Habiba Suleiman, Project manager-WACOT Rice Impact investment aims at combining competitive financial returns with positive change for people and the environment. This underlies WACOT Rice’s growing interest in creating market opportunities for investments that support environmental and social goals. It is upon this foundation that WACOT Rice’s Trade Hub-supported rice out-grower program was established […]

By Malik Abdoul, Marketing and Sales Manager, Global Mamas For over a decade, Ghana’s Volta River has been attacked by the water hyacinth, a type of invasive weed. Dubbed the “poison flower,” this fast-growing plant negatively impacts the ecology within the river and the economic potential of those who depend it for both food and […]