FUELING DREAMS WITH SG WOMAN OFFER; THE STORY OF ERNESTINA DJANETEY

Fig 1. Ernestina Djanetey, CEO, Adjentes Company Ltd- Beneficiary of the SG Woman Offer

By 7am, the shelves are already neatly stacked with a wide range of provisions. Sachet and bottled water of various brands are also lined up at the front, ready for the day’s customers. Parents making morning school drop offs stop by for purchases before the day begins. Workers, construction labourers, students all on their early morning commute stop by for their various needs.

For Ernestina Djanetey, the presence of her provision shop, Adjentes LTD, within the Airport neighbourhood in Accra, is a source of convenience and a lifeline to the community far and near.  Her business has also become the source of livelihood for her and her family. But that livelihood was not built overnight.

Ernestina’s journey started on a very small scale, dealing only in fish. Inspired by her aunt who was as successful trader at the Nsawam market, the young Ernestina picked up the entrepreneurial spirit early. Armed with her certificates from business school, including Chartered Accountancy, she decided to put all her knowledge into practice. Over time, due to customer demands, she expanded the scope of the business to include groceries/provisions of all kinds.

Like many business owners, somewhere along the line, supply was not adequate to meet the increasing demand from clients, and keeping the shelves fully stocked was increasingly becoming more difficult.

“When I started the business, it got to a time I needed additional capital. So contacted my bank (Societe Generale Ghana) and it started with a long story of collateral…so I decided not to go again”, she recounted.

The turning point came when Ernestina was called by the bank to access a collateral free loan designed specifically for women owned and women led businesses. Through the SG Woman offer for small and medium sized enterprises, she was able to access the support she needed to grow her business.

Ernestina’s story is one of many. It is a testament that when women are empowered with the right financial support, they grow dreams into a legacy.

SG Woman offers a tailored financing package catering to corporate women, entrepreneurs, and Micro, Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). Beyond financial support, the initiative seeks to equip women with essential business development skills and financial literacy to foster their growth and success.