Plendify B2B Marketplace partner GEA/Mastercard Foundation to promote women-owned enterprises in Ghana

The Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA), formerly NBSSI, and the Mastercard Foundation announced a partnership with Plendify Inc, to create an online marketplace.  The platform will enable women-owned and led enterprises to promote their products and connect with customers globally.

Plendify Inc, a Ghanaian enterprise which focuses on e-commerce, retail, internet, and financial technology, will lead the initiative which falls under GEA and the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works in Ghana MSME Business Acceleration (MBA) program. The goal is to support women entrepreneurs with brand building, business promotion, and access to new markets.

The online shop themed “Made in Ghana Concept Shop” will host and market products from targeted MSMEs within the following categories:

• Ghanaian-owned/led businesses
• Women-owned/led businesses
• Highest growth and job creation potential
• Businesses with a minimum of five (5) employees (both permanent and casual)
• Startups owned by women
• Unique product offerings

Qualifying business owners can visit www.gea.gov.gh to complete the Young Africa works application form and apply for the program.

“There is an increasing need to develop initiatives that allow women entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and to access new markets. We are aware that the empowerment of women and their businesses tend to have a strong multiplier effect on the wider community. That is why we are launching this initiative to help open new market opportunities and increase revenues for MSMEs that are owned and led by women. This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time, as the digital space is expanding rapidly,” said Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, Chief Executive Officer of GEA.

In addition to opening access to both local and international markets, qualified business owners will benefit from capacity building in branding and digital marketing to increase their revenue earnings while unlocking sustainable job opportunities for Ghanaian youth.

“With the right support, digitization, and access to new markets, women-owned and led MSMEs have the potential to lead the economic recovery effort in Ghana and create better futures for their families and communities,” said Mastercard Foundation’s Regional Director for West, Central and Northern Africa, Nathalie Akon Gabala. 

About the Project

The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA)/Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works Project is an entrepreneurship development and employment program targeted at young people, particularly young women, in Ghana. The Project therefore falls under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Program (YEEP) of GEA.

The Project is being implemented in Ghana by GEA and will create employment and income-generation opportunities for 39,000 young men and women in Ghana.

70% of the 39,000 beneficiaries will be women. The Project leverages on existing GEA flagship Programs such as the Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship (A2E), Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Hubs, and the Kaizen Program. These programs are delivered through the 183 Business Advisory Centres/Business Resource Centres across the country and in collaboration with other Young Africa Works partners in Ghana including CAMFED.

About Ghana Enterprises Agency

The GEA, formerly NBSSI, is the main governmental body under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, mandated to strengthen, grow, and develop Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana. GEA has the largest footprint of any agency or organisation in Ghana in its work with entrepreneurs and women led MSME development. It has presence in the 16 Regions and operates in 183 Districts across Ghana.

For more information about GEA please visit our website and other media pages. http://www.gea.gov.gh. Follow the Board on Twitter at @GEAGhana, Facebook and Instagram GEA Ghana.

About Plendify Inc.,

Plendify Inc, also known as Plendify B2B Marketplace and Plendify.com is an African technology company based in Accra, Ghana, which focuses on e-commerce, retail, internet, and financial technology. Founded in October 2018, the company provides business-to-business (B2B) sales via mobile (Google & Apple) and web. Currently, Plendify.com is Ghana’s leading and most trusted online B2B marketplace for small, medium, and large local wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, and importers. Businesses can buy from verified and trusted suppliers and sell to other businesses in bulk or retail quantities. Purchases and payments can be completed on the marketplace with items delivered straight to your doorstep anywhere across Ghana. Our leading categories include Food & Beverages, Building & Construction, Home & Industrial Appliances and more.

Visit us at: www.plendify.com

For more information, you can call: 024 922 0597 or 054 013 2227.

Email address for inquiries: info@plendify.com

Media Relations: Mrs. Christiana Lamptey

About the Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous Communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. It is one of the largest, private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. The Foundation was created by Mastercard in 2006 as an independent organization with its own Board of Directors and management.

About Young Africa Works

The Young Africa Works strategy sets out an ambitious goal of enabling 30 million young people in Africa, especially young women, to secure work they see as dignified and fulfilling. Using youth employment as a key measure of socio-economic progress, we aim to support millions of young people to find a pathway out of poverty.