A supplier of shea butter for The Body Shop, Ayisha Fuseini of Asheba Enterprise has been named Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the Invest in Africa Awards.

Ghanaian Fuseini was a participant in the Mastercard Foundation’s Innovation Bursary Program (IBP), a youth enterprise initiative delivered by Camfed in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. Her company produces soap, body creams and other products using high quality shea butter.

“I feel very proud about myself and my business. The recognition alone is enough motivation for me as it simply means institutions are confident about my business and this is testament to the long lasting impact of the Camfed – Mastercard Foundation IBP,” said Fuseini.

Fellow participant Esther Naanbir of Agape Moringa Processing was also celebrated for her success, winning the Woman of the Year at the Vodafone Small and Medium Enterprises Ghana Awards. Naanbir employs 15 full time workers producing a line of six cosmetic products for the Ghanaian market containing moringa oil.

This month Camfed and the Mastercard Foundation are launching a new Entrepreneurship Programme, supporting 145 young women with internships, business starter kits and a network of mentors, to encourage the next wave of female entrepreneurs in rural Ghana.