This is "Grandma" proudly telling us about her experience as part of the Women's Agripreneurship Sustainability and Scale-Up project in New Somanya, Eastern Region (about three hours from Accra). I was in Ghana for the week as part of a delegation from The University of Sheffield to our strategic partners the University of Ghana. The visit was supported by an Erasmus+ mobility grant and Wednesday provided an opportunity for me to learn about what it takes to make projects such as this work on the ground.
In the morning we heard from the women of New Somanya who have been supported with a package of lower-interest loans for egg laying hens , poultry feed and veterinary services. The women undertake to repay these loans and reinvest income to develop a sustainable agricultural enterprise. (Grandma is also experimenting with other hen varieties and a rather noisy turkey).
In the afternoon we met with a range of stakeholders that the University of Ghana are working with in Asesewa - Upper Manya Krobo district administration, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service and the District Agriculture Department.The day provided valuable insights into the complexities and nuances in building, maintaining and balancing these stakeholder relationships.
Thank you New Somanya and University of Ghana for this invaluable learning opportunity.
Dr William Mitchell, Head of Partnerships and Global Opportunities, Global Engagement