OPPORTUNITIES
Investing in Young People, Strengthening Communities in Bono East
WIDO is turning practical skills and starter resources into pathways to enterprise, income and lasting economic opportunity.
Turning Potential into Opportunity
Across Bono East Region, thousands of young people have the ambition to build secure livelihoods but need relevant skills, practical resources and connections to opportunity. The Women Integrated Development Organization (WIDO) is helping to bridge that gap. Through the Youth in Work initiative under the Financial Inclusion for Last Mile Actors (FILMA) Project, WIDO aims to reach 15,800 young people in Kintampo North, Kintampo South, Techiman Municipal, Atebubu-Amantin, Sene East and Sene West—equipping them to pursue productive work, launch enterprises and contribute to stronger local economies.
From Practical Training to Enterprise
The initiative responds to opportunities within local markets by combining dry-season vegetable farming with vocational training in soap making, pastry making and soya kebab production. Participants also build capabilities in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and business management. This integrated approach gives young people more than a technical skill: it strengthens their confidence and readiness to turn knowledge into viable, income-generating activity.
WIDO has already distributed 3,596 starter packs to trained participants: 1,952 for soap making, 916 for pastry making and 728 for soya kebab production. Each pack represents a practical step from learning to earning—giving a young person the tools to begin production, test a business idea and pursue greater economic independence. Continued donor and partner investment can help deepen this support through mentoring, market access and finance, enabling more youth-led enterprises to start, survive and grow.
Inclusive Opportunity with Local Reach
WIDO’s community-based presence helps ensure that opportunity reaches those who are too often left behind. The initiative targets 70% young women and 5% persons with disabilities, with accessible training, community engagement and tailored support at the heart of delivery. By investing in inclusive livelihoods, partners can help unlock talent across underserved communities and extend the benefits of enterprise growth to families and local economies.
The Difference Partnership Can Make
Training can open a young person’s eyes to possibility. But without tools, working capital, mentoring, or a route to market, that new skill may never become a functioning enterprise. With the right support, the story can be different: a trained participant can begin production, reach customers, generate income and create new opportunities within the community. WIDO’s 3,596 starter packs have helped close this critical gap for young people trained in soap making, pastry making and soya kebab production. The next step is to ensure that promising enterprises have the sustained support they need to grow.
Invest in the Next Generation of Youth-Led Enterprises
WIDO invites donors and development partners to invest in scaling a proven pathway from skills training to sustainable livelihoods. Funding can equip more young people with starter resources, business mentoring, inclusive finance and market connections, while strengthening the monitoring of enterprise start-up, survival, income growth and jobs created. Your partnership can help turn thousands of trained young people—especially young women, persons with disabilities and youth in underserved communities—into resilient entrepreneurs who contribute to stronger local economies across Bono East.
