HAPPY

Francisca Avansi once sat at home in the Tandema community of the Upper East Region in Ghana—an unemployed SHS graduate with little hope and no income. 

Today, she stands as a powerful example of how one opportunity can spark a lifetime of change.

Thanks to the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Project, Francisca’s life has been completely transformed.

Teye-Wayo Eliasca Petra, a 22-year-old high school graduate from Adakope, once stood in front of a preschool classroom teaching young children. 

Having completed her education in 2020, she pursued teaching out of necessity—not passion. With parents who were farmers, agriculture was always close to home, but never part of her plans.

That changed when she heard about the HAPPY Program through an uncle.

Curiosity led her to join the program, and what began as an experiment has become a life-changing decision.

In the heart of the Shai Osudoku district, where agriculture is a lifeline for many, a remarkable story of transformation unfolds—Once a food vendor selling beans and gari (popularly called gobɛ in Ghana), Portia Azanda has risen to become a certified tractor operator and farm supervisor of 62 hectares of rice fields. 

About 50 young women have received intensive training in broiler production under the Harnessing Agriculture Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Program, a collaborative initiative between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited.  

The trainees, mobilized by the National Service Authority (NSA), gathered at the NSA Farm in Papao, Haatso, for an intensive session on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. 

This latest cohort brings the total number of women trained in broiler production at the facility in the past two weeks to 80.

As part of efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the National Service Authority’s (NSA) role in the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Program, a strategic meeting was held with the leadership of Agri-Impact Limited, a leading agribusiness firm. 
 
HAPPY Program is a partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited with the focus of enabling job opportunities for 326,000 youth aged 15 to 35 in the poultry, tomato, rice and soya value chains.

A joint team from the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited visited implementation sites of the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Program in Bono, Ashanti, and Greater Accra regions in September 2024.

In Sunyani, Bono Region, the team toured NAPLE Betta’s plant, an anchor partner that supplies poultry feed for the HAPPY Broilers program.

Today, as we celebrate our nation's freedom, let's shine the spotlight on our incredible youth—the driving force behind our aspirations and progress.

At Agri-Impact Limited, we believe in the boundless potential of Ghanaian youth, their energy, and their unwavering optimism. With the right mindset and determination, our youth can spark remarkable transformation in agriculture and beyond. They have the power to break barriers, conquer challenges, and cultivate resilience as they pursue their dreams.