Mma Jawara, one of the 18 exceptional women entrepreneurs selected for the UNDP Growth Accelerator Programme, is making remarkable strides in her business. As the visionary behind Barbbah African Bags and Shoes Investment LTD, Mma Jawara has set her sights on scaling her business, which specializes in producing bags, belts, shoes, and other leather items.
The support Mma Jawara received from the UNDP Growth Accelerator Programme is structured in four tranches, with two disbursements already propelling her business to new heights. The first tranche was dedicated to the expansion of her production center, an essential step given the limitations of her current site. With the construction of a new, larger production facility underway, Mma jawara is poised to move her operations to a space that will accommodate her ambitious production targets.
The second tranche provided her with critical equipment and infrastructure, including industrial gunning machines, solar panels, batteries, and inverters. These additions are pivotal in enhancing her production capacity and ensuring sustainable energy supply, reflecting a forward-thinking approach to business growth.
In addition to financial and material support, Mma Jawara benefited immensely from a series of tailored trainings and bootcamps facilitated by Aurora Foundation. These included goal setting and growth plan development, advisory support on tranche disbursement, financial literacy training, and customized sessions on business model development and pitching. A Marketing Bootcamp further equipped her with the skills needed to effectively position her products in a competitive market.
The impact of the Growth Accelerator Programme on Barbbah African Bags and Shoes Investment LTD has been nothing short of transformative. Mma Jawara has significantly increased her production capacity, growing from producing just one dozen items per week to 60 sandals and 24 bags weekly. This surge in productivity has also led to the employment of additional staff, the majority of whom are women, underscoring the programme’s broader contribution to economic empowerment and gender equality.
Mma Jawara’s journey is a testament to the power of targeted support for MSMEs and highlights the critical role that initiatives like the UNDP Growth Accelerator Programme play in driving sustainable economic growth in Sierra Leone and beyond.
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