The project in Ghana training local entrepreneurs to sell innovative, life improving products – such as solar lamps and solar mobile phone chargers – has been put on hold. Although the team managed to test quite a number of sales strategies, and has also managed to give ‘proof of concept’, we were forced to stop our business due to the devaluation of the local currency, and technical problems with our best-selling product.

The Ghana Cedi made a sharp drop just when we started our business, and we therefore lost our profit in the months that followed. The imported products became even less affordable for end-users, and it became more and more difficult for our team to meet sales targets. Being a startup, it was difficult to make a full recovery from this situation, even though the Ghana Cedi is now more stable.

Besides the problems with the local currency, we also had many technical problems with one of our best-selling products. This product, although quite robust, could not withstand the fine dust in Ghana. Customers demanded their money back from us, depleting our cash flow.

Although we had created excellent opportunities and partnerships for ourselves – i.e. partnerships with Vivo Energy (Shell Ghana), Ghana Post, Schneider Electric, and more – we have decided to put the project on hold for now. We want to thank all our partners and all the people that cooperated with us, and supported us, and we hope you understand our difficult decision.

Goodget is now working on a new, completely different project in Ghana, but we will keep looking for opportunities to start up again selling life improving products. Some of our entrepreneurs have continued selling the products in Ghana on their own, which is a very encouraging sign.
Also, when we started training entrepreneurs and selling solar lamps, micro finance institutions were not interested in supporting our entrepreneurs. But now they have ‘seen the light’, and are financing the distribution of solar lamps and other life improving products such as water purification devices and irrigation pumps. There might be an opportunity there for us in the future!