Private businesses boom with USAID grants

By Daniel Nonor
The business plans of four Ghanaian entrepreneurs received a financial boost from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Western Union for as much as $100,000 each.

Recipients of the USAID-funded African Diaspora Marketplace (ADM) grants went to Henry Adobor's Aceritas goat farm, Kojo Benjamin Taylor's MicroClinics, Tenu Awoonor's Student Card Ghana and Paul Ansah's ANSA Systems.

In all, 14 US-based African Diaspora-driven businesses in seven countries were awarded, matching grants from ADM, each ranging from $50,000 to $100,000, based on innovation and job-creation potential.

Under this award, Tenu Awoonor's Student Card Limited is supposed to utilize the grant to provide cashless payments for student fees and lunches in schools with the use of a multifunctional identification card while Paul Ansah's ANSA Systems Limited would provide reliable utility power for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities.

Also, Henry Adobor's Aceritas would rear the Boer variety of goats for the local market and Kojo Taylor's MicroClinics would apply franchising principles to improve access to primary healthcare and essential drugs in rural communities of Ghana.

USAID implements the U.S. Government's economic and technical assistance programs in developing countries, and links U.S. foreign assistance with the resources, expertise and creativity of the private sector and NGOs.

The ADM seeks to bolster economic opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa through sustainable start-up and established enterprises.