As part of its commitment to women’s empowerment and skills development, the Development Bank Ghana (DBG) marked International Women’s Day 2025 with a special outreach initiative at the Design and Technology Institute (DTI).

On March 10, 2025, all female staff of DBG joined the outreach to engage and mentor young women pursuing technical and vocational education. This initiative aligns with DBG’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focusing on women and children and building on its 2024 sponsorship of 10 female trainees at the institute.

Speaking during the visit, Michael Mensah-Baah, Deputy CEO at DBG, highlighted the significance of the initiative, stating "DBG recognizes the critical role of technical and vocational education in shaping Ghana’s future workforce. By supporting young women in this space, we are breaking barriers and creating pathways for economic empowerment. This initiative is more than just mentorship; it’s about inspiring the next generation of female leaders in the industry.”

During the visit, DBG staff engaged the students in mentorship and coaching sessions, shared career insights, and encouraged them to take advantage of opportunities in technical and vocational education. The team also reaffirmed DBG’s ongoing commitment to supporting skills development by exploring potential sponsorship for additional female students in the upcoming academic year.

The President of the Institute, Constance Swaniker, in her brief remarks emphasised on the importance of gender equality. She mentioned that “Creating opportunities for all and accelerating gender equality is key. It is beautiful to see confident women breaking into male dominated spaces which hitherto was not in existence. On the other hand, we must also recognise the role men play, as they set the pace and serve as role models for us’’ she added.

Alignment with National Agenda & SDGs

This initiative is closely aligned with Ghana’s national agenda to promote Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and enhance female participation in skilled trades. By investing in women’s education and empowerment, DBG is contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:

•         SDG 4 (Quality Education): Supporting access to skills development and training.

•         SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Promoting equal opportunities for women in male-dominated fields.

•         SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth): Preparing young women for sustainable careers.

About DBG

Development Bank Ghana (DBG) is a Wholesale bank committed to driving economic transformation by providing long-term financing, risk-sharing guarantees, and capacity-building support to businesses, particularly SMEs. Through strategic partnerships, DBG supports key sectors such as agribusiness, manufacturing, and ICT to foster inclusive growth and sustainable development.

About DTI

The Design & Technology Institute (DTI) is a private technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institution in Ghana established in March 2016. Its mission is to serve as a hub for engineering and design practices by bridging the gap between academia and industry through practical, hands-on experience. DTI aims to become West Africa’s premier industrial job training and prototype centre by transforming the lives of young people in TVET.