FROM THE CORPORATE WORLD TO SOAP MAKING BUSINESS, A DECISION WORTHWILE – A BAC SUCCESS STORY
Prior to her contact with the BAC, Florence Duoduwaa Aniakwaa, the CEO of Fograce Enterprise, earned a living from working for three different private firms. Florence was not making much money to support her family. She abandoned the office work four years ago for a soap-making business that is already bringing her reward.
Florence was trained by her mother who was already in the soap making business when she was at the university. She decided to venture into the soap making business after her mother had retired from the business. “I prefer doing my own thing. At least, it takes off some of the pressure…. Initially, it was very difficult but it’s a job that requires a lot of innovation to succeed,” she explains.
It all started after the 32-year-old mother of two came into contact with REP which has helped to improve her business, income and livelihood. She has benefitted from training programmes in business management and financial management, and series of counselling sessions. But her greatest opportunity from her association with REP has been the sponsorship to attend several trade shows.
Owing to her lack of the needed equipment to start the business, started with her mother’s equipment. She later acquired all the basic equipment needed to start the business. She started with two products; liquid soap and bathing gel. With support from the BAC, she now produces eight different products including hand sanitizer. She was encouraged to produce more of the hand sanitizers to due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She supplies her products to institutions and retail shops.
Through counselling and follow up sessions, she has been able to save enough money to buy mixing and labeling machines. She has employed seven casual workers and has trained six people in soap and detergent production.
“I am proud about the progress of my business because through the income earned from the business I am able to cater for the family, support building project of my parents and support my brother’s education at the master’s level”, she said.
She has acquired 2 acreage land hoping to set up a factory in the coming years. Through the help of the BAC, she is in the process of registering with the Ghana Standards Authority and the Food and Drugs Authority to enable her advertise her products. She is hoping to get support from REP to enable her purchase a van that can distribute her products to her clients.