My name is Matilda, I’m 37 years old and I come from a small town called Krobo Odumase in the Eastern Region of Ghana. In 2015, I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies. I always wanted a job in the media and communication industry. That was my big dream after university.

But it didn’t come true: I wrote many applications but never got an answer. That went on for several years and was frustrating. Besides, as a mother of three children, I had to earn money. My husband had a job, but his income wasn’t enough.

Business start-up training

The next stop on my journey to self-employment was a one-week training programme. After that, the GCC team helped me register my business and get my products certified by the Ghana Food and Drug Authority, as that’s the only way I can sell my products. I was also given a commercial blender and a juice machine to get my production started.
 

Success with spice blends and juices

In the meantime, I sell my own spice mix made from ginger, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper and turmeric as well as fruit juice made from tiger nuts, ginger, pineapple, orange and mango. I sell 500 bottles of juice and 800 packs of spices at markets every week.

The GGC team has also supported me to expand my skills. This included the centreproviding me with training in yoghurt and ice cream preparation. I also got a refrigerator, a blender and some other ingredients for my new yoghurt production. The products are doing very well. People who have already bought from me often come back.
 

Training for others

My long-term goal is to sell my products on the international market and to pass on my knowledge as an entrepreneur to young Ghanaians; this could contribute to reducing unemployment in Ghana. I therefore offer training to young people and have so far trained two young women who have also started their own businesses. I strongly recommend that young people take part in the job fairs. They are held regularly and offer many opportunities – as my story shows.

This text is written in simple language. We want to make sure that it’s easy for everyone to understand.