Ashesi University’s Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC) has organised a special session for ‘Mompreneurs’ - female business leaders in its business incubator who are combining motherhood and parenting with business leadership.

This is part of its commitment to support and amplify the voice and agency of women in the business sector, and further build the capacity for women entrepreneurs in the green economy,

The session, which was organized on April 28, as part of GCIC’s Women Entrepreneurs Transformation Program (WETP), brought together female business owners, a clinical psychologist, and a parenting coach under the theme of Self Balance; Work + Life. 

Recognizing that raising children is a full-time job and being a working mother with your own business is essentially equal to having two full-time jobs, the session sought to equip 'Mompreneurs' in the GCIC business incubator with the knowledge, tools, and skills to effectively care for, respond to, and manage their needs of their children. 

Speaking at the session, the Executive Director of GCIC, Ruka Sanusi, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to designing and implementing gender-sensitive business advisory and support services to contribute to the success of both male and female-led climate-smart SMEs within the business incubator. 

“At GCIC, we recognize the importance of creating a supportive ecosystem for women in leadership positions to help them overcome the multiplicity of challenges they face in running their businesses as well as their personal lives.  A session such as this supports our Mompreneurs by providing them with tools and skills to improve the wellbeing and positive development of their children and their families", she said.

One of the two resource persons, Dr Adzika Agbemenya Vincent, a Medical Psychologist at Neptune Medical Centre, led the session on the psychology of parenthood and skillful parenting where he shared the importance of knowing your child’s personality to promote his/her natural potential for optimal outcomes.

“As a parent, you must be intentional about raising your child. Set aside time to talk and listen to each other. Turn off phones, computers, and televisions when you and your child are communicating and talk about everyday things as you go through your day. As a parent, you should be open to talking about all kinds of feelings, including anger, joy, frustration, fear and anxiety with your child”, he said.

The facilitating Special Education and Parenting expert shared in the struggles of working mothers and revealed practical skills that she employed herself while raising her own three children who now occupy prominent positions in society.

“There is a popular saying that goes this way ‘we expect women to work like they don’t have children and expect them to raise children like they don’t work’. It can be very daunting to think about society’s expectations of working mothers, but no matter what, it is your responsibility as a mother to prioritize your child. Don’t outsource your child’s wellbeing to anyone, take full responsibility for it and you will reap the benefits when they become adults”, she said.