For over fifteen years, Fuseini Arishetu Azumi has established herself as a versatile professional within the Moglaa community in the Savelugu District of Northern Ghana. Her broad experience encompasses various roles, including those of a farmer, shea butter processor, and trader, with a specific focus on commodities such as sandals and charcoal.
Despite her dedication to the agricultural sector and charcoal trading, Madam Azumi, just like most women within the rural settings, encounters challenges in terms of transportation when it comes to her business activities. “I spend over 300 Ghana cedis for the transport of charcoal and farm produce from remote communities to Moglaa, and there are occasions when it may take several days to secure access to a vehicle,” she remarked. These transportation difficulties significantly impede her business operations, particularly during the rainy season when vehicle accessibility is substantially limited.
Madam Azumi, who happens to be a beneficiary/client under the GROW2 project, has been able to successfully acquire a “motorking” (tricycle) with support from her husband. This was made possible through the GROW2 Price Discount Scheme, which provides beneficiaries with a 50% discount on the purchase of farm technologies and inputs. With this, she now has a means of transportation and a way of making her activities in and around her community easy. This initiative has afforded her a reliable mode of transportation that supports her movements, not only in trading and agriculture but also in the aggregation and processing of shea butter.
She further expressed her plans to establish a store near her residence to serve as an agent for certified farming inputs, including OFA and Inoculant, having already begun small-scale production of OFA this year, with numerous farmers requesting supplies for the upcoming farming season. Notably, she added, “My husband now consults me before making any decisions in his life.”
Madam Azumi now provides essential transportation services to the residents of Moglaa and its surrounding areas, thereby addressing the mobility challenges faced by many individuals. Additionally, she has created employment opportunities for her nephew, Abukari Abdul Aziz, who serves as the motorking rider. Mr. Aziz is married and has three children—two daughters and one son.