SheaSusu Women’s Cooperative Savings & Enterprise Programme (SWCSEP)

The SheaSusu Women’s Cooperative Savings and Enterprise Programme (SWCSEP) is a flagship initiative by the EcoGrowth Development Initiatives Foundation (EGDIF) designed to strengthen financial inclusion, savings discipline, and enterprise development among women in Ghana’s shea value chain.

The programme organizes women into structured and legally recognized cooperative savings groups, enabling them to build financial stability, access affordable credit, and grow sustainable businesses across shea collection, processing, and trade.

In partnership with strategic financial institutions such as GCB Bank PLC, SheaSusu creates a secure and scalable savings-to-loan ecosystem that transforms informal economic activity into structured, bank-linked enterprise growth.

✔ Cooperative savings and financial inclusion
✔ Affordable enterprise and working capital loans
✔ Financial literacy and business training
✔ Women-led enterprise development
✔ Digital banking and mobile money integration
✔ Market access and value chain strengthening

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Women engaged in shea processing and cooperative financial empowerment activities in Ghana

Project: SheaSusu (SWCSEP) – Women’s Cooperative Savings & Enterprise Programme

Promoted By: EcoGrowth Development Initiatives Foundation (EGDIF)

Financial Partner: GCB Bank PLC (Proposed)

Duration: 5 Years

Coverage: Northern Ghana (expansion to all shea regions)

Overview

SheaSusu (SWCSEP) is a women-focused cooperative savings and enterprise programme designed to strengthen financial inclusion, savings discipline, and business growth among women in Ghana’s shea value chain.

The programme connects women-led cooperatives to formal financial systems to improve access to credit, build sustainable enterprises, and promote long-term economic stability.

Goal

To improve the economic wellbeing of women in the shea value chain through structured savings, access to credit, and enterprise development.

Objectives

Organize women into cooperatives
Promote savings discipline
Improve financial literacy
Increase access to credit
Support women-owned enterprises
Promote digital financial inclusion

Programme Components

Community Mobilization

Formation of cooperative groups

Financial Literacy

Training in savings, budgeting, digital finance

Savings System

Daily, weekly, monthly contributions

Enterprise Loans

Working capital and equipment financing

Business Support

Mentorship, branding, market access

Incentives

Grants, equipment, recognition rewards

Target Impact

20,000

Women Empowered

400

Cooperatives

Implementation Structure

EGDIF → Programme Design & Coordination

Regional Teams → Field Implementation

District Teams → Local Coordination

Cooperatives → Member Organisation

Members → Beneficiaries

Expected Outcome

Stronger women-led enterprises, improved savings culture, increased access to finance, and sustainable economic empowerment across the shea value chain.