The “Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana – (GrEEn)” is a four-year action from the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, UNCDF and SNV. The project aims at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for youth, women and returning migrants by promoting and supporting sustainable, green businesses in selected regions (Ashanti and Western). GrEEn is implemented under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa.

GrEEn will contribute to addressing the root causes of irregular migration by supporting sustainable and climate resilient local economies, green jobs and development in regions of departure, transit and return. The objective of GrEEN it to create local financial ecosystems that facilitate the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and enable the transition of local economies to green and climate resilient development.

Through a combination of grants, technical assistance and convening power, the GrEEn programme will work with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and other relevant ministries as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to:

• Support the transition of local economies to green and climate resilient development.
• Improve the ability of women, youth and returning migrants to take advantage of job and entrepreneurship opportunities in green and climate resilient local economies
• Create and strengthen local ecosystems that support youth (self-) employment and the development of MSMEs.

GrEEn has 4 result areas: UNCDF focuses on Results 1 and 3, while SNV on Results 2 and 4.

1. Supporting growth of local economies and creating short-term job opportunities through cash for work.
2. Improving the ability of women, youth and returning migrants to take advantage of green job and entrepreneurship opportunities in their local economies.
3. Increasing access to and use of financial services to support cash-for-work beneficiaries and MSMEs to meet the needs for youth women and returning migrants while also benefiting their local communities.
4. Supporting and speeding the growth of Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) in the green and circular economy so they can offer decent, fair and sustainable jobs to youth, women and returning migrants.

Through GrEEn, UNCDF is committed to:

• Short-term job opportunities for youth, women and returnees through green and climate resilient investments in local economies.
• Improve the employability of youth, women and returnees through orientation support and assistance, to transition to skills development for the benefit of green and climate resilient local economies (cash for work beneficiaries).

Access and usage of financial services, leveraging remittances and digital solutions, adapted to the needs of (i) youth, women and returnees benefiting from cash for work schemes and (ii) local communities and MSMEs.

GrEEn was officially launched in May 2020 under the patronage of the Ghanaian Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

Going GrEEn for a sustainable future! #GrEEnProject #AfricaTrustFund.