Local Ghanaian Mushroom Business
Hello friends!
My name is Lauren Yang, and I am currently studying abroad at the University of Ghana, Legon. During my time here, I have been interning with Fair River International Association for Development (FARIAD). Through FARIAD, I've had the opportunity of working with the Hope of Glory farm located in Sowutuom. I have been volunteering at the farm and researching ways to improve pest management, but more importantly, I have been learning so much from the head farmer, Pastor Seth.
In addition to the farm, Pastor Seth and his wife Auntie Mary run a mushroom business called Sema Royal Mushroom. Producing mushrooms requires much patience as it involves several precise steps -- first preparing the compost substrate, bagging it, sterilising it, inoculating the compost with mushroom spawn, incubating the bags in a dark room, and finally harvesting. With great patience, this young local business has the capacity to grow 600 bags of mushrooms (of which 200-400 are usually harvested), but to make a profit, they must successfully produce [phone redacted] bags. To increase their productivity, Pastor Seth and Auntie Mary need to construct more shelves in their dark room to accomodate more bags, but will need funding to so!
The profit they make from their mushroom business will go towards empowering adolescent girls in the Sowutuom community. The high rates of teenage pregnancies and single mother families in the area have made it difficult for many to create adequate livelihoods. Therefore, Pastor Seth and Auntie Mary intend to economically and socially empower girls by providing support through an empowerment group, which will allow them to bond with each other, learn of the opportunities available to them, and gain vocational skills (as Auntie Mary is a seamstress).
Donating to this project will have a long-lasting impact on the Sowutuom community, from supporting a sustainable local business to empowering girls. Please donate whatever you can as we will be thankful for every dollar you contribute!
