Project Update: Women in Business (WIB) Mentor Exchange Day

“We have been looking forward to this day!”

These words captured the anticipation surrounding the Women in Business Mentor Exchange Day, held on Wednesday, 19th August 2026. The event gave mentees an opportunity to find practical answers to long-standing business questions, learn from the expertise of other mentors and identify their next steps towards growth.

The event brought together the current cohort of mentees, mentors and alumnae of the programme. It extended learning beyond each participant’s assigned mentor, encouraged entrepreneurs to share their experiences and strengthened relationships across the wider Women in Business network.

From Business Bottlenecks to Visible Progress

The day began with mentees reflecting on their progress. They spoke about the bottlenecks they had faced before joining the programme and how mentorship and workshops had helped them address some of these challenges. Their achievements included expanding into new markets, rebranding and repositioning products, developing new offerings, improving their social media visibility and increasing sales.

At the centre of the event was an SME business clinic comprising focused breakout discussions where participants could examine their immediate needs, ask questions and receive practical guidance.

Each mentor led a conversation on an important area of business development. Topics included routes to market, time management and strategic planning, building effective business structures, brand development and equity creation, networking and partnerships, and creating customer-centred businesses that grow.

Rather than receiving general advice, participants selected sessions based on their priorities and moved between mentors to gain different perspectives on the challenges they faced. They took notes, asked questions and shared experiences as the mentors offered guidance drawn from their professional and entrepreneurial journeys. For many mentees, the conversations created valuable “aha” moments and brought clarity to important business decisions.

Learning That Continues Beyond the Programme

Alumnae from the previous Women in Business cohort added another dimension to the event. They shared how lessons from their mentorship experience had continued to guide them after their cohort ended. By applying what they had learnt, they continued to make progress in their businesses and achieve goals they had been working towards. Some had also maintained relationships with their mentors and continued to seek their advice when needed.

The Mentor Exchange Day also served as the final gathering and an informal closing ceremony for the current cohort. Mentors were recognised for the time, knowledge and guidance they had invested in the women and their businesses.

Reflecting on her journey, one mentor recalled that there were fewer women entrepreneurs when she began her career in business. Seeing more women build businesses today and having the opportunity to guide them was a source of great joy. Her hope was that women’s entrepreneurship would continue to grow in Ghana and across Africa, enabling more women to support themselves, their families and their communities.

For GNBCC, the Women in Business mentorship programme reflects the value of connecting entrepreneurs with trusted guidance and a supportive network. Although the 2026 cohort has ended, its true impact will be seen in what follows: lessons applied, commitments fulfilled and stronger women-led businesses contributing to their communities and Ghana’s economy.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the 2026 cohort mentors: Fatima Alimohammed, Barbara Davis, Dr Florence Vanderpuye, Celestina Danso Arhin, Evelyn Lokko, Catherine Krobo Edusei and Susanne Roelofsen Afum for generously sharing their time, knowledge and experience.