Championing over poverty: Soap producer calls upon spirit of Ghanaian boxer to grow small business

Mary is a small business owner who is ready for the next challenge by joining venturehub Ghana to accelerate her business with a social investment from someone like you. Learn more about how to become a social investor with venturehub Ghana.

Mary, a small business owner in northern Ghana, calls the soap she produces “Azumah Blow” after the Ghanaian boxer Azumah Nelson. Nelson is a three-time world boxing champion and is said to be one of the greatest African boxers of all time.

It’s no surprise that a woman like Mary who has championed over hardship in her life chose him for her business’s namesake.

A few years ago Mary took on the fight of her life. Her husband and father of her four children passed away unexpectedly, and she soon found herself struggling to feed and clothe their children.

“My life was not good,” Mary told us. “I was suffering with my children and I could not meet their needs or help them.”

Mary grew what she could on her small plot of land to feed her children, but in between farming seasons she was forced to leave them in the care of their eldest sibling and travel south to find work.

NAMING A NEW OPPORTUNITY

Mary heard about a new opportunity to start a small business through Canadian Feed The Children’s development project in her community.

Because of generous Canadians like you, Mary was given the chance to change her family’s life by starting a small soap-making business.

She was trained on how to produce different kinds of products like liquid, cake and bar soap. She was also given basic small business training and joined a village savings and loans association where she could take out small investment loans.

She was taught about marketing and how it is important to create a brand to sell your product at the market – and from there, Azumah Blow Soap was born.

Now Mary sells her homemade soap at her local market and has been using the income to provide for her children.

“Before I started my business, I didn’t know my neighbours,” Mary explained. “Now I have so many friends and customers, and everyone knows me. I feel important and valued.”

YOU CAN HELP MARY TAKE ON THE NEXT CHALLENGE

Mary is ready to take on this next challenge by joining venturehub Ghana – but she needs someone like you to believe in her again.

She has big dreams for the future of her business. Mary hopes to scale up her production and open a local soap factory so she can produce more Azumah Blow Soap and provide employment opportunities in her community.

venturehub Ghana is a social investment that can transform lives. 50 social investors from across Canada will support a bright and resilient entrepreneur in northern Ghana, just like Mary.

With a $1,000 social investment from someone like you, Mary will receive capital investments, support services, and training and mentorship through a newly opened innovation hub in Bongo, Ghana.

A social investor will not only help women like Mary accelerate their businesses to better support their families, but they will also spur innovation and market development in one of the poorest regions in Ghana.

Say “YES, I believe in you” to a hard-working entrepreneur today and join venturehub Ghana.