Consultancy and advisory services for sustainable growth 

Access to networking to help scale up your business

Access to funding to help your business reach its full potential


More about Young Africa Works Programme (YAW)

YAW is a 5-year (2020-2025) strategic partnership between Absa Bank Ghana LTD and the Mastercard Foundation (MCF). The goal of the foundation is to create 50,000 dignified and fulfilling jobs for young men and women by 2025.

  • Available to youth-led SMEs
  • Available to women-led MSMEs
  • Available to FinTech and Agritech businesses
  • Available to Agribusinesses
  • Available to non-bank financial institutions
  • To qualify for the programme, your business should have the capacity to employ additional staff
  • To qualify for capacity building opportunity, you must actively operate a business account with Absa Bank for a minimum of 3 months
  • To qualify for funding, you must actively operate a business account with Absa Bank for a minimum of 1 year 
  • New customers can open an account with Absa today.
    (Must have identified a successor who is ready to take over the business in your absence as the business owner and must have no adverse findings from Credit Reference Bureau)

Three ways to apply

  1. Visit any Absa Bank branch nationwide or speak to your Relationship Manager to sign up for the Absa Young Africa Works Programme
  2. Download the Expression of Interest (EOI) form and email the completed form to: YAWProjectTeam1@absa.africa
  3. Call: +233 (0)302 66 7686

Applicants will be notified through their preferred channel of communication of the decision of the steering committee. The communication will explain the basis of your application decision. 

Explore the latest updates and insights from the Absa Young Africa Works Project

Our Q1 Newsletter, Fact Sheet and Project Brief highlight the significant strides we've made in fostering job creation, enhancing MSME capabilities, and supporting smallholder farmers through targeted financial and developmental initiatives

YAW Q2 newsletterYAW Q2 fact sheetView YAW project brief

YAW Q1 newsletter YAW Q1 fact sheet MasterCard case study

 

Frequently asked questions

  • What are the key focus areas of this project?

    • Agribusinesses
    • Women-led businesses
    • FinTechs

  • How does the project support businesses?

    The project supports MSMEs through capacity building and lending. As part of implementing its capacity building mandate, YAW will assign Business Development Service (BDS) providers to these individual MSMEs to identify the gaps in their business operations and proffer tailored training and solutions to address them. After the training, these businesses would be further assessed for lending.

    • Beneficiaries can access up to GHS500,000.00 without collateral and audited financials
    • Maximum term of 24 months at an interest rate of around 25%
    • Negotiated interest rates can be discussed

  • How does the project seek to achieve this goal?

    • Build the capacity of eligible 5,000 MSMEs 
    • Financially support them with a $100 million investment to create 50,000 jobs for the youth, especially women*
    • In addition, these SMEs will receive organisational and behavioural change skills to make them ready to receive funding through Absa’s lending platforms

    *Subject to the terms and eligibility criteria of the project

  • What is required for me to be eligible for training?

    Existing Customers of the bank

    • Actively operate a business account with the bank for a minimum of 1 year
    • Must be a registered business with not less than 2 years of existence in business
    • Business must have the capacity to employ additional staff
    • Must have an identified successor who is ready to take over the business in the absence of the business owner
    • Must be willing to undergo rigorous YAW training sessions

    New customers (New to bank – NTB)

    • Must have operated a business account for a minimum of 3 months
    • Point 1.2 to 1.5 applies

  • What is required for me to be eligible for lending?

    • Ability to demonstrate participation in entrepreneur and financial management training organized by credible institutions
    • Actively operate a business account with the bank for a minimum of 1 year or for a determined period at the discretion of the Bank
    • Must be a registered business with not less than 3 years in business
    • Must have healthy bank account conduct (6-12 months)
    • For new customers 6-12 months' bank statement from previous bankers apply
    • Must have no adverse findings on Credit Reference Bureau

  • Can individuals apply to YAW for support?

    No. Support is not given to individuals but rather to eligible registered organisations, cooperatives and businesses that fit the outcome we want to achieve.

  • Can a state agency apply for support?

    State agencies cannot apply for support however, state agencies can submit unsolicited proposals to YAW for consideration. In addition, YAW may approach a state agency to develop a strategic partnership/collaboration around its priority areas of work.

  • Can a business receive support from YAW and Mastercard Foundation or its partners at the same time?

    No. Mastercard Foundation works with different partners under its Young Africa Works Strategy, which works to achieve one common goal. Businesses that have received some support directly from Mastercard Foundation or its partners will not be eligible to receive the same from the Absa Young Africa Works Project.

  • How long does the process take and/or how soon can I expect a response from Absa Bank Ghana Limited?

    Screening of submitted Expression of Interest forms will begin a day after the submission to assess whether an applicant meets the eligibility criteria. The project team will assess/evaluate each application and make recommendations for consideration. All recommended applications will be presented to the project steering committee for review and approval.

  • How long does the process take and/or how soon can I expect a response from Absa Bank Ghana Limited?

    The length of the review period for an Expression of Interest may vary depending on the support required and the nature of your business. Feedback on an application is usually provided to applicants within a period of 2 weeks.

  • How can I contact you?

Need more help?

Call us on:
+233 (30) 242 9150 (network charges apply)
0800 222 333 (MTN and Vodafone customers)

Email us: 
customerexperience.gh@absa.africa