Ghana’s economic empowerment space is entering a transformative phase with the rollout of the Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion (GWYESCO) Program. Supported by a US$71.25 million grant from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the initiative officially began on 1 December 2025, marking the country’s first large-scale Results-Based Financing (RBF) intervention aimed at strengthening employment, entrepreneurship, and social resilience among women and young people.
GWYESCO is expected to reach more than 28,000 beneficiaries, particularly youth aged 18–35 and women aged 36 and above from economically vulnerable communities. The program focuses on equipping participants with high-quality employability training, business skills, access to micro-financing, and opportunities in fast-growing sectors such as agribusiness, digital services, creative industries, light manufacturing, and responsible mining support services. By linking training to real market demand, the program aims to help participants build sustainable livelihoods rather than short-term activities.
Target and benefits to local institutions
A key distinction of GWYESCO lies in its Results-Based approach. Instead of releasing funds upfront, money is disbursed only after verified outcomes are achieved. This ensures that every intervention delivers measurable impact and strengthens accountability among implementing agencies. It also guarantees that youth- and women-led enterprises receive support that is both targeted and effective.
The program further seeks to strengthen local institutions, enhance the capacity of youth agencies, empower women’s groups, and support micro and small-scale enterprises with better systems for growth. With unemployment challenges persisting across Ghana, GWYESCO is widely regarded as a potential catalyst for enterprise development, job creation, and community-level resilience. If successfully executed, it could become a national model demonstrating how development finance, public policy, and entrepreneurship can work together to drive inclusive and sustained economic transformation.
By Abraham Nakpana
