In June, 51 participants were selected across the five operational districts of the WISE project to compete in a pitch competition in Sunyani to earn a spot in the final pitch. Eleven participants were chosen in the end to compete for the final pitch. Out of these participants under URBANET, four were selected from the Tolon and Kumbungu districts in the Northern Region.

The final competition, which came off on September 18, was organized by the Association of Ghana Industry (AGI) for the eleven participants to compete for the first, second, and third positions. The competition was meant to challenge these mentees across the five operational districts to pitch their business ideas in order to gain support in developing them.

At the end of the competition, two mentees under URBANET’s WISE team won the second and third positions and were awarded a cash prize to support their businesses. In second place, Madam Meli Mohammed, from Yipeilnaayili in the Kumbungu district, who specialises in beekeeping and honey making, was awarded Ghc20,000. In second place, Madam Gifty Adam, a soybean processor from Chanzegu, also under the Kumbungu district, was awarded Ghc10,000. The other two, Madam Martha Alhassan and Madam Ama Ibrahim, from the Tolon district, had the fourth and seventh positions, respectively. They were awarded Ghc2000 each, by the NPIIA Manager at Plan International Ghana, Mr. Eric Ayaaba for their efforts.

These women, amongst other mentees under URBANET, have shown immense enthusiasm for growing themselves and improving their businesses over the past three years, and it’s no surprise that Madam Meli and Madam Gifty made it this far. For this reason, URBANET will continue to guide and support them in their respective journeys. It is the core mandate of the organisation to support women’s growth and livelihood and enable them to be economically empowered, and that is the path it will take.