AFFORD launches programme to supporting Susu Collectors in Ghana

As a component of its MAHDREIA (Mobilising African Home and Diaspora Resources for Enterprise in Africa) programme, the African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) is organizing its second Enterprise Mission to Ghana in July 2006.

The programme involves tapping into diaspora skills, knowledge and experience to support the development or expansion of grassroot enterprises in Africa. The UK Enterprise Africa Resource Pool will work on the ground for two to three weeks with identified grassroots entrepreneurs – The Susu Traders - who have already made important strides in their business.

Mentoring for Business Growth

The UK Resource Pool will be listening to the ideas and experiences of the Susu Traders and will draw on their own skills and experience to help with developing robust business plans and providing business advice.

84% of economically active Ghanaians operate in the informal sector.Most of them use informal financial systems such as Susu Collectors to handle their cash.

“That’s why working with Ghana’s Susu Collectors to help them grow their businesses is also a vital part of helping millions of Ghana’s entrepreneurs to grow Ghana’s economy, improve their lives and create more jobs,” says AFFORD. 

The project is intended to improve and expand business for the Susu Traders, ultimately leading to creation of jobs and wealth for young people in the country. As part of their strategy, AFFORD hopes to contribute, in the long term, to supporting Africans to harness Africa’s enormous potential and riches for the benefit of Africans in Africa.

“The enterprise missions to Africa represent a unique way of tackling the high unemployment levels faced by the majority of African countries,” explains Christine Matambo, AFFORD’s Project Officer. “Leveraging diaspora resources to help grassroot entrepreneurs develop their businesses to a point where they are able to provide even two jobs, would make a significant contribution to employment-based poverty reduction and foster economic growth and development.”

The Susu Traders

On the July 2006 mission, members of the AFFORD Enterprise Resource pool will work with the Susu Traders to help them improve their business services. Currently, their operations focus on collecting weekly from market women and at the end of each month, the Susu Traders give the market women back their total monthly revenue, thereby helping the market women to save better. In return for these informal banking services, the Susu Traders earn a commission from the market women

The Susu Traders are currently undergoing enterprise training under the Barclays Microbanking Programme, which is working closely with the Ghana Cooperative Susu Collectors Association to help local Susu Collectors support local enterprises. The AFFORD mission will also provide post-training mentoring around developing business plans to help the Susu Traders take their business to the next level, improve their creditworthiness and expand their businesses.

For further information about the AFFORD mission: contact Christine Matambo at Christine@afford-uk.org