Esther Afua Ocloo (1919-2002) Ghanaian Pioneer of Microlending

Esther Afua Ocloo. a Ghanaian business woman who pioneered microlending - a programme of making small loans in order to stimulate businesses.

She started in 1943, after graduation, to use her pocket money to buy the ingredients to make and sell her now legendary marmalade in Accra.

She then took out a contract to supply orange juice to a Achimota school.

She gained an additional contract to provided the Royal West African Frontier Force with juice. Lacking resources to meet the demand she had a loan from the bank. She established Nkulenu Industries - the first food processing factory in the Gold Coast.

With her business established Achimota college sponsored her to visit England from 1949-51. In 1956 returned to England to develop recipes for commercial canning.

1958 encouraged by President Kwame Nkrumah she became the first president (1959-61) of what was to become the Federation of Ghana Industries.

1970’s onwards worked at national and international level in the economic empowerment of women. (See Business Activity).

In 1990 she became the first woman to receive the Africa Prize for Leadership

Esther was a member of Unity Worldwide Missions.

She died in 2002 aged 82.

Nkulenu industries today still make and export marmalade.

Sources
Wikipedia
RISE by Maliha Abidi