The Business In A Box (BizBox) Project is a partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA). The goal of the 4-year Project is to create dignified and fulfilling jobs for 250,000 young people in Ghana, with 70% being women and 10% Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) by 2027. The synergy of this partnership lies within the Agency’s mandate as the apex body to promote and develop Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs) in Ghana and the Foundation's vision for Ghana; to enable 3 million young women and men access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. The intervention ultimately aligns with the Government of Ghana’s goal to address youth unemployment by building an entrepreneurial nation and creating 1 million jobs for Ghanaian youth.
The BizBox Project integrates tools, learnings, and support needed by the youth to start and grow their businesses. Through training, mentorship, and coaching, qualified participants proceed to receive support with business formalization, product certification, and more. Through five main pillars namely: i) Youth Skills Development, ii) Access to Markets, iii) Access to Startup Kits, iv) Youth Social Networks, and v) Institutional Strengthening, Policy, and Regulatory Support, the Project will create long-term employment opportunities for participants by leveraging existing structures, recognizable business associations, and partners, among other strategies.