ILO SKILL-UP GHANA PROJECT

Rising with Resilience: How Hannah Built a Sustainable Poultry Business At 33, Hannah Aidoo from Mankessim in Ghana’s Central Region has long nurtured a dream of building a poultry business that not only sustains her family but also uplifts her community. Despite holding a Master’s Degree in Economics, Hannah pursued her passion for poultry farming. What began as a modest farm has now evolved into a lucrative enterprise. Hannah founded H.A. Farms, a diversified operation that raises poultry, rabbits, snails, vegetables, mushrooms, and catfish. The farm is built on a commitment to eco-friendly practices, using organic ingredients and climate-smart technologies.  These practices include utilising solar energy, implementing weighing and measuring systems to minimise waste, and using manure from production to fertilise food crops. This comprehensive, circular approach supports both human and environmental health, positioning H.A. Farms as a model for sustainable agriculture. Hannah’s entrepreneurial journey was far from smooth. She faced high production costs and operational inefficiencies that threatened her dream. Feed prices soared, electricity costs strained her budget, and water wastage added to mounting expenses.These challenges constrained her capacity to grow and compete in a tough market, placing significant pressure on her as both a businesswoman and a pillar of her community, relying on her success. Her breakthrough came when she learned about the Mastercard Foundation’s BRIDGE-in Agriculture Program via a WhatsApp network.Through the climate-smart agriculture training program with Africa Skills Hub, Hannah gained practical skills for managing resources efficiently. She now weighs the feed and medication and measures the water provided to her birds daily. This approach enables Hannah to supply the correct quantities of resources, reducing waste and cutting expenses while maintaining productivity. “Before the training, I felt overwhelmed by costs and uncertainty about how to improve,” she recalls. “The knowledge and support I received transformed my approach to operating and thinking about my business.” With training and funding from BRIDGE-in Agriculture, Hannah adopted new technologies and practices that significantly reduced her water and electricity costs, allowing her to reinvest in the expansion of her farm.“The farm has expanded from a capacity of 350 layers to 3,000 layers.” These improvements set her poultry business on a sustainable growth trajectory, unlocking opportunities she had only dreamed of, now employing five permanent workers and ten casual workers. “I now use electricity efficiently to lower my carbon footprint. I have installed a lighting control system, including a photocell and an automatic switch that regulates when our lights turn on and off.” Scaling impact beyond the farm Hannah now operates a farming shop selling poultry feed, crates, veterinary drugs, and poultry inputs to other poultry farmers in her community. Her vision extends far beyond her own farm’s success. With the grant received from the BRIDGE-in Agriculture program, she is working toward establishing a poultry feed mill to supply farmers in her region, aiming to strengthen the local agricultural economy and create jobs. By supporting other poultry businesses, Hannah hopes to build a more resilient, interconnected farming community where smallholders can thrive together. “With grant support, I am working to establish a feed mill that serves not only me but also assists other poultry farmers across the Central Region,” she explains. Her story exemplifies how access to tailored training, financial resources, and climate-smart practices can empower smallholder farmers to overcome systemic barriers. Today, Hannah is a successful entrepreneur and a role model to many, inspiring others with her resilience, strategic thinking, and commitment to sustainable farming.While challenges remain, including fluctuating market conditions and expanding operational demands, Hannah faces the future with renewed confidence and a clear mission.  

Harnessing Social Media to Elevate Alisad Travels A Journey of Discovery Sadia Yusif, CEO of Alisad Travels and a proud member of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), has long been passionate about promoting tourism in Ghana. She frequently used social media to share destinations and hotel deals, believing it would help grow her client base. But the results didn’t always meet her expectations. “As a tour operator, I usually posted destinations and hotel bookings, but I didn’t know there were key strategies to make these posts more effective,” she admitted. Eager to improve her digital strategy, Sadia set out to find a solution. The Turning Point: Discovering the ILO Skill-Up Program In 2024, Sadia came across the ILO Skill-Up program—a capacity-building initiative designed to help entrepreneurs master social media marketing. She saw it as the opportunity she had been waiting for and enrolled, ready to deepen her understanding of content creation and audience engagement. Learning, Growth, and Transformation Sadia joined a three-day intensive training in Cape Coast, Ghana, where she and other participants learned to use their mobile devices to craft compelling content. The training was hands-on and practical—exactly what she needed. “I’ve learned not to make random posts and now understand the importance of using relevant hashtags to reach my target audience,” Sadia reflected. With this new knowledge, she began refining her social media strategy—no longer posting blindly, but with intention and clarity. Impact and the Road Ahead The training didn’t just equip Sadia with new skills—it transformed her approach to digital marketing. With greater confidence and a sharper strategy, she is reimagining how she tells Alisad Travels’ story online. She’s optimistic that this shift will not only attract more clients but also set a new benchmark for social media marketing in Ghana’s tourism sector.