KIC empowers 1,200 women with agripreneurship training and business support

The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) is making significant strides in promoting women’s economic empowerment across Ghana through its Empower Her initiative and Women’s Bootcamp trainings. 

In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and Kosmos Energy, KIC is equipping women with agripreneurship skills, financial literacy, and essential business tools, enabling them to transition from subsistence farming to sustainable agribusiness ventures.

Through its community-focused approach, KIC has extended its training programs to women in rural and peri-urban areas, ensuring no region is left behind. In 2024, KIC conducted training sessions in the Northern, Eastern, Central, and Volta Regions, providing women with skills to enhance their economic opportunities. As part of the initiative, 71 pieces of business equipment were distributed, including gari processing machines, charcoal ovens, palm oil digesters, corn and rice mills, catfish starter packs, baking ovens, and pastry-making kits.

In February 2025, KIC extended its support to women in Wa and Jirapa in the Upper West Region, training them in soya kebab production, soap making, shea butter processing, and pastry making. These interventions are improving productivity, creating sustainable livelihoods, and boosting local economies. To date, 1,200 women have benefited from KIC’s capacity-building programs.

The success of the Women’s Bootcamp is evident in the personal stories of its beneficiaries. Jamila Shido, once unemployed, now runs a successful pastry business, earning a steady income. “The training from KIC and its partners has really empowered me. Today, I bake, sell pastries, and earn a stable income to contribute to my household,” she shared.

Similarly, Emmanuella Annan, a student, leveraged the bead-making training to start her own business while continuing her studies. Meanwhile, Bernice Awindaug, a beneficiary of farm input support, transitioned from an aspiring farmer to a successful onion producer, contributing to food security and economic growth.

KIC’s Gender and Safeguarding Specialist, Mercy Tuffour, emphasized the importance of moving beyond training to investment. “To accelerate action in women’s agribusiness, we must go beyond empowerment to investment. At KIC, we are not just training women, we are creating a future where their businesses thrive, their voices are heard, and their impact is undeniable.”

Through its partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and Kosmos Energy, the Kosmos Innovation Center remains committed to fostering inclusion, driving sustainable growth, and building stronger, more equitable communities.