08/05/2026
From Small Workshop to Growing Business: Ansu's Story
Before connecting with GIZ, Ansu ran a small carpentry workshop with great potential, but lacking the structure needed for growth. However, through a six-month entrepreneurship training programme supported by GIZ, he gained the necessary skills and tools to take his business to the next level.
Today, his workshop is thriving. He employs 15 people and produces a wide range of furniture, including sofa chairs, beds, and school benches for local schools. His products reach customers across Makeni, Kono and Freetown, with raw materials sourced locally in Makeni.
When asked what made the biggest difference, Ansu's answer is clear: “The record keeping.” While GIZ also provided equipment, it was learning how to track his finances and business operations that truly transformed the way he runs his business.
And he's not stopping there. Ansu's vision is to build a large-scale furniture industry that employs many people and produces furniture on a large scale. His next step? Securing a bigger plot of land for storage and new machinery.
The Employment Promotion Programme was commissioned by BMZ, cofinanced by the European Union in Sierra Leone and implemented by GIZ.
