The Netherlands, others on entrepreneurship drive
THE Kingdom of the Netherlands has joined forces with the MDF West Africa, the Ghana Innovation Hub and other private sector partners to drive entrepreneurship in the country.
Known as the Orange Corners (OC) Ghana Acceleration Programme, the initiative also has Fidelity Bank, Emergent Payments, Friesland Campina, Vivo Energy Ghana and Meridian Port Services (MPS) as private sector partners.
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So far, about 343 entrepreneurs spread across five regions have been selected as part of the seventh cohort programme.
A release from the initiative said after the nationwide callout for applications in November last year, 431 applications were received and screened for slots in the programme.
It said for the seventh cohort, which officially began on January 24, this year, 166 entrepreneurs would be trained in Accra while the remainder will be trained in Kumasi, Tamale, Ho and Takoradi.
Benefits
The statement said the ambitious entrepreneurs would be equipped with necessary knowledge, skills, access to markets and capital.
It said the Orange Corners Ghana programme was a six-month acceleration programme with 10 workshop days, several (online) masterclasses and individual coaching sessions.
It also serves as a bridge between these innovative entrepreneurs and the private sector, while facilitating access to finance through the Orange Corners Innovation Fund, the release added.
“This offers a great benefit to all partners involved,” it said.
It said the programme also received additional private sector support from De Heus Koudijs and Cargill, raising the institutional support from five to seven companies.
About Orange
The Orange Corners is a global initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands that supports young entrepreneurs across 19 hubs in 15 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
This support contributes to a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous society through training, mentorship, network, funding and facilities to start and grow their businesses.
The Netherlands supports innovative solutions to local challenges that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals by partnering with various stakeholders to support and strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Since 2015, OC global has trained about 1,800 entrepreneurs.
As the implementation partner in Ghana, MDF is committed to improving the functioning of organisations, enterprises and networks, to increase their economic value and positive social impact.