In Africa, women are vulnerable and deprived.
I want to help them, I want to make a difference.
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My name is Elsie Dogbegah.
And the company name is Elssy Kess Company Limited, and basing Ghana.
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We are in agroprocessing African ethnic foods.
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When I started it was like a laughter or mockery.
Family members will say how is she doing?
Why don't you travel overseas and get a better job to do?
Because how can you sell peanuts and make money?
How can you sell curry?
You're an educated person.
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I started with three women on a table in a rented apartment and 20 pounds of peanuts.
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So we started gradually and the customers kept on increasing.
We have 42 employees now.
80% women.
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We have seven acre facility.
The product line kept on increasing.
The peanut butter, curry, red oil and zumi.
The product lines is 35 now and we are still working.
One thing about my business is that it's not just making profit or money.
Almost 50% of the women who work with me have kids, they are single mothers.
And because I'm also a single mother, I have that passion.
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When I'm in the traffic and I see them on the streets, I just ask,
why are you doing this?
The sun is not good for the kids.
I talk to them, give them shelter, give them insurance and
the scholarship for their kids and also give them
the necessary skills that they can stand up for themselves.
Some are very, very, very grateful and
I see that they are very emotional attach to me and the company.
I'm happy to see women smiling every day.
They come to work, they aid,
they know that they have somebody who loves them and cares for them.
You have people who are working for you, they are looking out for you.
So it's always give me pressure and thinking to try to let ends meet.
This is a woman who is trying to put together
women who doesn't have anything, who needs help and support.
The challenges we have In Ghana, they don't
think a woman can grow or take care of a business.
I have overcome this perception,
because I have taken it upon myself that God has given me a vision.
Challenges doesn't weigh me down.
My rabbi give me the room to keep on going.
Even though struggle here and there I still continue fighting.
If I give up, what happens to the women?
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