Two hundred women entrepreneurs across the country are slated to be empowered and supported through the Sinapi Aba women's mentorship program aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among youth, women, and artisans.

The small and medium scale businesses will be equipped and guided with corporate management skills for effective returns.

The program will boost efforts to encourage ambitious women to start, own and run businesses.

Addressing gender gaps in entrepreneurship demand concerted efforts from financial entities and society as a whole.

Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans Limited, under its Sinapi Aba Women Mentorship Program, is pitching informal sector women entrepreneurs from various business levels with professional mentors to network and share business knowledge.

The six-month intensive free business peer-coaching program aims to equip beneficiaries with skills and insights to manage and expand their businesses.

Chief Programs Officer for Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans, Joyce Owusu-Dabo, says the program will allow the business owners to be empowered to employ more, own and ensure asset equality.

“Some of the challenges we find out are two major things. Their capacity to grow their business as it progresses and access to capital. We have instituted this to get them empowered and equipped to forge ahead.

“We are also looking at a system where they would be mentored. It was initially for women. But now we have recruited some male mentors and clients to ensure inclusiveness,” she said.

Beneficiaries will be taken through skill sets like bookkeeping, customer service relations, record keeping and budgeting.

Proprietress of Prevalence Academy and mentee, Joy Mensah Bonsu is hoping to get equipped with the requisite knowledge to boast and grow her business.

“I save with Sinapi Aba and I was introduced to this program to get access to people who are doing well in their business so I can learn and get enlightened to manage mine,” she said

Proprietress of Dosa Royal School, Benedicta Boakye is advising beneficiaries to undergo the training process with diligence.

“We are expecting that they avail themselves and can put the things they learn to use to grow their business,” she said.

The mentorship program is in its 5th edition with over 1,200 trained youth, women, and artisans.