Access Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) joint fact- finding mission on Gender Empowerment Programme (GEM) for The Gambia was on Tuesday March 13 convened at the Senegambia Beach Hotel.

The event brought together over 100 top business women in the country, aimed at building relationship between the womenfolk. It also seeks to share ideas between the business women and the bank on what it can derive from the Bank’s Gender Empowerment Programme.

Speaking at the occasion, Yomi Akapo, Managing Director of Access Bank, said that the meeting is as a result of a fact-finding mission undertaken by his bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) from the business women on how they can work hand in hand with the bank to uplift their business status and reach out to the world markets. “The whole idea of the meeting is to gather information from the women and what they expect from the bank and what they need from the Gender Empowerment Programme if introduced,”he said.

Mr. Akapo assured the women of his institution’s total commitment to the empowerment programme. He then promised to convene a quick training for the women on entrepreneurship to enable them operate their businesses as required. For her part, Uloma Ike, Coordinator of the Gender Empowerment Programme at Access Bank, Nigeria, told the women entrepreneurs that the Gender Empowerment Programme, provides access for women finance, training and capacity building, as well as to support women to uplift their businesses to the world market. She then commended the women for their response and urged them to continue the good work.

Ida Faye-Hydara, Executive Director of the Women’s Bureau, described Access Bank as a service provider with a lot in the pipeline for the women of The Gambia. “If the collaboration between the bank and the women continues, then the bank will never be let down as the women are dedicated, committed and hardworking,” she said.

Mrs. Faye-Hydara assured the gathering of her office’s support in seeking opportunities for the women of The Gambia as the bank’s gender programme is another great opportunity for women to make best use of. She however advised the women to take limited loans to avoid putting themselves in problems of repayment.

During discussions, the women called on the Access Bank and the International Finance Corporation to assist them on financial and management training, especially in record-keeping, marketing, human resources and motivations, as well as quick access to finance. They also appealed to the bank to provide them with Loan

Insurance Scheme and inter-state trading initiatives to help them market their products. They described the iniative as the first of its kind in the history of the banking industry in the country.

Joans Thomas, a women empowerment specialist from Canada, who also spoke at the ceremony, urged the women to make best use of the opportunity created by the bank.

The event was well attended by women entrepreneurs in the country.