In a plush event, held on Friday November 1, 2024, at the Marriot Hotel in Accra under the theme “Empowerment, Impact, and Economic Strength: Transforming Narratives Across Africa” Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah, CEO of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), was celebrated as the “Capacity Building Shero of the Year”.
The annual Women’s Choice award Africa which held its sixth edition this year continues to shine the spotlight on remarkable women whose stories exemplify the essence of seizing the moment and transforming local communities to entrepreneurs revolutionizing industries and being trailblazers who embody the spirit of resilience and courage.
The award, which is the second recognition bestowed upon the CEO, symbolizes Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah’s journey of transformational leadership both in corporate governance and politics.
Known for her visionary efforts to boost MASLOC’s position in financial inclusivity and economic development, she has pushed the organization into new terrains, focused on supporting Ghanaian women, youth, and rural entrepreneurs.
Under her leadership, MASLOC has transformed into a vital support network for aspiring entrepreneurs across Ghana. Her initiatives in capacity building, providing mentorship, financial literacy programs, and business development support have all created and sustained new pathways for countless Ghanaian small businesses to thrive.
MASLOC’s financial support projects have also grown under her management and leadership, but beyond that, her efforts to build capacity by providing the tools, skills, and knowledge necessary for small business owners to succeed have been the hallmark of her leadership.
As women across the nation pursue economic self-sufficiency, the need for role models like Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah has never been more essential. She stands as a powerful figure who bridges the gap between purpose and action, reminding Ghanaians that financial resources, coupled with mentorship and training, form the backbone of sustainable development.
Through MASLOC, she has sought to extend not only loans but legacies too – such is a legacy of empowered citizens armed with skills to better themselves and furthering a deep commitment to advancing sustainable development, not just through financing but through fostering skills and knowledge essential for growth.
Some Management members who were present at the event, and accepted the award on her behalf reiterated her relentless commitment to advancing MASLOC’s mission of economic empowerment and her tireless dedication to supporting women, youth, and rural entrepreneurs with the resources to become financially independent by way of support to their small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The award “Capacity Building Shero of The Year” signifies more than individual achievement but places Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah among Ghana’s most respected figures in capacity building and leadership whose model for change is not one based on a short-term relief but on sustainable growth. For many, she is more than a CEO; she is an advocate and an architect of opportunity, and her story stands as a beacon of what purposeful leadership can achieve in creating an empowered, inclusive society led by a “Shero” unafraid to pave new roads for generations yet to come.
By: Owoahene Antwi Boasiako
