Reshaping the Narrative of Entrepreneurship

I have been lost in thoughts lately as I carefully observe the growing effects of unemployment in the country. According to reports from the Ghana Statistical Service, there has been a 14.7 percent increment in unemployed youth. On one hand, I am grateful to have been given the opportunity by Vice Versa Media Ghana to not be among this statistic. On the other, I feel I am failing to properly use this mandate to drive change in the area of unemployment.

The youth expect the government to create more jobs. Photo Credit: Yen.com

“Create More Jobs” is what the youth expects from the government. But should we totally rely on the government? What if the youth, in this predicament, spearhead the “Create More Jobs” initiative? That is the aim of this article. To get you moving and shifting your mindset. To help us all understand that we can create new doors of employment through Entrepreneurship.

The conversation with Mr. Ato Ulzen-Appiah

I spoke to Ato Ulzen-Appiah, an entrepreneurial development specialist, who has over 20 young entrepreneurs under his wing. He defines an entrepreneur as an individual who dares to take on the risky venture of starting a new business with aims of not just making profit but providing opportunities for other people’s benefit.

Mr. Ato Ulzen-Appiah is an entrepreneurial development specialist. Photo Credit: Wikipedia.com

Having trained many young people, Mr. Ulzen-Appiah was disappointed when I read to him the findings by the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) which states, the majority of young people who want to be entrepreneurs believe they need political or social connections before they can start. “If that is what some young people are thinking then it will bid well for the country. They need to change their mentality because it is not only the government that can make entrepreneurs thrive” he said.

In a world where the private sector is the foundation of development, Mr Ulzen-Appiah advocates for a holistic way of fostering entrepreneurship in the country. He does not deny the fact that with the support of the government, the private sector can thrive. He just does not want the youth to rely solely on governmental support for improvements.

The race to combat unemployment.

The conversation with Ato Ulzen-Appiah sent me on another rollercoaster ride to find a young entrepreneur who amidst this harsh reality, has taken that bold step to start a small business.

In the bustling streets of North Kaneshie, an urban area in the Greater Accra Region, I met Claudia Mc-Ankrah. She is a 30-year-old go-getter whose entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to community empowerment is reshaping the narrative of starting a business in her community.

Claudia Mc-Ankrah is a 30-year-old small catering business owner here in Ghana.

She is a University Graduate holding an Undergraduate Degree in Political Science, from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). After completing university in 2017, Claudia ventured into the corporate world, gaining an invaluable experience in customer service and sales for Four (4) years while working in the banking sector.

She took the bold step in 2021 to fully start a small catering business, called Red Hot Eatery. She says that her entrepreneurial spirit burned brightly at a young age. In Junior High School, she discovered her knack for business by offering note-copying services to her peers at a fee.

“I have always been an entrepreneur at heart. In Junior High School, I wrote lesson notes for my colleagues at a fee. I had a nice handwriting, and I felt the money I was being given for school was not enough. So, I employed this skill as my side hustle.” she recounts fondly.

Image Caption: 30-year-old Claudia’s entrepreneurial spirit burned brightly from when she was in junior high school.

“At the University, I was cooking on the side when there were events. I paid for a stand and sold basic stuff like water, drinks and other consumables,” – Claudia added. What started as a side hustle eventually blossomed into a full-fledged business venture, driven by her unwavering commitment to excellence and love for cooking.

True, being an entrepreneur is challenging.

As I was engaging Claudia, this statement from Mr. Ulzen-Appiah quickly flashed through my mind, “If you are venturing into entrepreneurship, you should understand that there are going to be ups and downs. You are mistaken if you think that it is going to be a smooth ride”.

I quickly spoke to Claudia about it and she attested to the fact that being a business owner has not been a smooth ride. What began as a promising venture soon encountered its fair share of obstacles. “When I started it was rosy.” Claudia Stated “Everybody was excited to try my meals but, it got to a point where my customers stopped buying from me. All of a sudden, I stopped receiving orders.”

Image Caption: The journey has not been easy for Claudia. Photo Credit: Claudia Mark-Ankrah.

Losing customers was just a tip of the Iceberg. Claudia had to navigate losing her employees as well. “When I first started, I employed one male and one female. Months later, they became lovers and abandoned the job. They live together now and have a child.” She continued, “That is fine, I said to myself. I went ahead to employ another male and female to support me. But it happened again. They leave without prior notice, and I just did not understand why this attitude is being expressed from very youth who say they need jobs” Claudia Stated.

A shimmering hope: The UN Work 4 Progress initiative begins.

“When my workers abandoned me, I took the decision to hire only females. A decision that was made out of distress but after I realized the importance of resilience and adaptability, I decided to turn my small business into a semi-equipping center.” Claudia says as she recounts on the circumstances that led her to bounce back.

Instead of wallowing and giving up, Claudia used this as an opportunity to appeal to the natural culinary skill found in women. She began by opening the doors of employment to Junior High School Leavers, who due to unforeseen constraint like insufficient funds, were unable to pursue secondary education. Experience in catering did not matter, Claudia was willing to train and equip these young girls with the necessary skill needed to build them up.

“Instead of dwelling on the setback, I decided to look at it with joy. At least I played a role in equipping my previous employees by giving them the professional platform to grow. Even though their leaving caused a significant impact on my business, I chose to focus on finding alternate avenues not just to grow my business but contribute to the professional development of others” Claudia Added.

That right there is the cure. Relating directly to the UN Work 4 Progress initiative, which targets channeling entrepreneurship as a tool for job creation. Funny enough, the aim of the Work 4 Progress initiative is to promote entrepreneurial led job creation among the Women and the Youth.

A shimmering hope: The Philanthropic endeavors.

Claudia’s entrepreneurial journey extends beyond business profits. She has a heart for philanthropy, particularly for the children in her community.

Every Christmas, Claudia organizes a festive party for the local children, complete with bouncy castles, face painting, and generous giveaways.

Her commitment to giving back stems from her own childhood experiences and a desire to uplift the less fortunate.

Claudia has a heart for philanthropy, particularly for the children in her community as she opens her doors to the kids in her neighborhood every Christmas. Photo Credit: Claudia Mc-Ankrah.

“I open my doors to all the children, from toddlers to 15-year-old, here at North Kaneshie to have fun, eat and leave with some souvenirs for school, pencils, books, erasers, color pencils. I actually started this before establishing my business. I organized the first party in 2017 during my National Service. I used my stipends to fund this. So, when I started fully working, I continued throw the party because the kids were looking forward to it and I did not want to disappoint them.”

She continues “I love kids. Living in this area, I see how most of them live. Some do not have the privilege that I had when growing up. Also, a friend who has an NGO, aimed at supporting orphans partly inspired me. I used to volunteer for his NGO, and I thought to myself, if I cannot travel all the way to these orphanages every year, why not impact the lives of children in my area. It makes me very happy when I see the smile on their faces. The way they say, “Thank You” makes me very excited.”

If I cannot travel to these orphanages every year, why not impact the lives if the children in my area. Photo Credit: Claudia Mark-Ankrah.

Claudia’s passion for the welfare of children also extends to her involvement in Sunday school activities at her church, where she provides meals for underprivileged children. “Some children do not eat before coming to church. This is my way to give until Christmas, for the big party” she explains.

Conclusion

As Claudia continues to grow her business and make a positive impact in her community, she serves as a shining example of the potential and promise of Ghana’s youth and also contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.

The UN SDG Goal 8encourages productive employment and decent work. Photo Credit: The United Nations.

You and I can also do the same. There are so many societal and environmental issues, lying in wait for brave men and women to tackle. When we decide to tackle them, we can in turn create employment avenues. Remember, it takes a team to tackle common challenges and achieve a common goal. And I believe that through hard work, determination, and a generous spirit, we can all build a better future for generations to come.