April 12, 2024

Women Agripreneurs: Paulina Akabire's potential unleashed

Staple Crops

Ghana

In the heart of Ghana's Northeast region lies Nalerigu, a bustling town teeming with life amidst its semi-arid climate and flourishing agricultural landscape. Here, amidst the rhythm of subsistence farming and livestock rearing, Paulina Akabire's story emerges—a tale woven with threads of resilience, innovation, and the empowering essence of women's economic upliftment through collaborative alliances.

Paulina, a lady in her early forties, started her rice aggregation business in 2019 after several other business attempts in shea butter processing and groundnut farming failed. Despite facing market constraints and resource limitations, her spirit remained unbroken, fuelled by the belief in agriculture as a pathway to improved livelihood.

Determined to make a difference, Paulina carefully assessed her community's needs and identified rice as a pivotal staple in her community. Recognizing the potential in rice aggregation and processing, she embarked on a new venture, aiming to carve a niche for herself in this sector. However, challenges persisted, particularly in accessing markets, hindering her efforts to scale her business and expand its reach.

A Hopeful Intervention

At a critical time, the Tamanaa and 2SCALE partnership proved invaluable for rural women entrepreneurs like Paulina, focusing on empowering smallholder farmers and local rice processors. This partnership helped establish a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA)in Paulina's community, enhancing savings and borrowing capacities for her and other women. Networks with other rice value chain actors were also formed, benefiting Paulina significantly.

Inspired by Tamanaa's CEO, Mr. Shaibu Braimah, after his meeting with 2SCALE, the "Business Pitch for Rural Women Entrepreneurs" was created. This initiative, launched in October 2022, aimed to equip entrepreneurs with crucial business skills. During the first Business Pitch Awards, co-hosted by Tamanaa and 2SCALE, 12 finalists from 84 applicants shared their ideas in front of judges and an audience, gaining exposure and mentorship.

Paulina thrived in this environment, winning the competition with a prize of GHS 4000 (USD 3200), which significantly boosted her business growth and market visibility. This marked a turning point for her enterprise.

The Catalyst for Change

With this amount, and her husband's support, Paulina acquired a small rice grinding mill. By April 2024, she upgraded to a larger mill, enhancing her processing capacity and daily rice output, which in turn boosted her income. As sales grew and her customer base expanded, her business positively impacted her community's prosperity. Now managing a facility with a rice mill and a de-stoner, Paulina, the budding CEO, has expanded her team from two to nine employees, eight of whom are women, further contributing to her business's success.

I have known Madam Paulina for close to 3 years now and I have seen how she has been able to gradually grow her business from just buying and selling rice to having her own rice mill which most of we the women access. In Nalerigu we have just 2 rice mills and one being owned by Paulina; a woman makes us very happy. It means that, women are also capable of venturing in businesses like this and thriving.

Said a customer of Paulina’s rice mill.

Paulina's journey stands as an inspiration for aspiring women entrepreneurs in the Tamanaa partnership and beyond. Through strategic interventions and collaborative partnerships, her once-fledgling enterprise now thrives with gains, inspiring countless others to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.

Reflecting on my journey from starting with a few bowls of rice to now owning a rice mill in Nalerigu, I am proud of my growth and grateful for the support received. Initially lacking a solid plan, I faced many challenges, including financial issues and poor record-keeping. However, with assistance from 2SCALE and Tamanaa, I improved my bookkeeping, accessed loans through the VSLA, and even won an award that helped finance my rice mill purchase. My ambition remains to expand my business further to serve my town and surrounding areas. Recently, I upgraded to a higher capacity rice mill to increase production. Growing a business is a gradual process, and I am thankful for the ongoing support from VSLA, Tamanaa, and other supportive women in my community.

Said Paulina.

Paulina's story continues to illuminate the path towards women empowerment through inclusive agribusiness prosperity, where determination, opportunity, and partnership converge to forge lasting change.

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