Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd (OISL) on December 3, 2024, organised a workshop aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs with the knowledge needed to access loans for their start-up businesses.

The Institution’s start-up loan product combines financial services with free financial and non-financial advisory services and business skills training to support clients in achieving their entrepreneurial goals.

The workshop offered comprehensive insights into how Youth start-up businesses can access financial services needed to launch and sustain their businesses.

The event attracted over 200 participants from the various Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across five MSME sector associations.

The workshop was chaired by the CEO of Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd, Kwame Owusu-Boateng and other senior executives of the institution including the Chief Risk Officer, Dr Francis Takyi; Chief Operating Officer, Ernest Yerekuu; Chief Finance Officer; Maxwell Selorm Azafokpe; Head of Marketing, Richard Anyamesem; and the Area Head for the South East sector, James Ephraim.

In attendance were also representatives from GIZ, led by the Program Manager for the Private and Financial Sector (PFS) program, Dr. Christian Jahn and GOPA AFC/ CDC Consult represented by Binyam Ayele as well as influential leaders from the MSME sector associations.

In his address, the Chairman of the event, Kwame Owusu-Boateng, highlighted OISL’s commitment to advancing financial inclusion and empowering young entrepreneurs through the Youth Start-Up Loans.

He emphasised that this initiative will not only support economic growth but also play a key role in reducing poverty and promoting a more stable society.

"Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd aims not only to provide just financial support to youth-led businesses but also a complete package of support which includes mentorship and capacity-building to ensure young entrepreneurs acquire the needed knowledge, skills, and guidance that will help them navigate the complexities of starting and growing a successful business,” he stated.

He expressed gratitude to GIZ for their support through the GIZ PFS Program, being implemented by GOPA AFC/CDC Consult, in enhancing services for youth start-ups and strengthening connections with MSME sector associations.

This collaboration, he noted, will ensure the delivery of maximum benefits to young entrepreneurs within the community.

Dr Christian Jahn, the Programme Manager for the PFS program at GIZ, emphasised in his speech that OISL's Youth Start-Up initiative empowers young entrepreneurs for a brighter future and aligns with GIZ’s mission to enhance employment opportunities for MSMEs to contribute to the overall growth of the Ghanaian economy.

He further highlighted that one of GIZ's primary goals is to see young entrepreneurs succeed in starting or expanding their businesses.

He expressed his deep appreciation to OISL for spearheading this remarkable initiative.

Mr. Binyam Ayele, GOPA AFC Consultant, speaking on behalf of Dr. Oliver Schmidt, Senior Project Manager at GOPA AFC, noted that engagements with MSME sector associations had revealed a significant demand for financial services, particularly among apprentices and graduates of vocational programs.

He emphasised that this financial product was specifically designed to meet that need.

The Head of Marketing of OISL Richard Anyamesem and the Transformation Manager of OISL, Diana Zachari Karikari took turns taking participants through the loan acquisition processes and financial literacy education on savings respectively.

The workshop ended with a question-and-answer session where the participants inquired about the product's features and raised other relevant concerns related to the product.

In his closing remarks, the CEO of OISL, Kwame Owusu-Boateng, expressed his gratitude to the participants for their time and active engagement.

He also reaffirmed OISL's continual commitment to delivering product offerings tailored to meet the needs of its targeted market.

Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd is one of nine financial institutions selected to participate in GIZ's PFS capacity building for Banking & Microfinance Institutions on the MSME product development project.

Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd. is one of the leading Financial Institutions in the country and currently has 38 branches in 10 out of the 16 regions of Ghana serving over 660,000 clients across the country.

It is a subsidiary of Opportunity International, a global organisation with its Head Office in Chicago, USA. The Institution delivers services and programs to clients in 30 countries across the globe, serving over 20 million customers with Micro Banking, Micro Insurance, Agriculture, Education Finance, and Innovative Non-Financial Services.