Project: Fidelity Young Entrepreneurs Mentoring Programme (FYEMP)

Location: Ghana

Client: Fidelity Bank Ghana

Years: 2022–2023

Country: Ghana

Description

Fidelity Bank Ghana partnered with The Human Edge to co-design and deliver the Fidelity Young Entrepreneurs Mentoring Programme (FYEMP), a key initiative under the broader Fidelity Young Entrepreneurs Initiative (FYEI). The programme paired young entrepreneurs with experienced mentors to build their confidence, clarify their goals and support business growth, while also building the internal capacity of Fidelity Bank to independently run mentoring programmes in future.

Objectives

• Equip young entrepreneurs with the confidence, strategic clarity and practical support to grow their businesses
• Train experienced professionals as mentors, building their capacity to guide others effectively
• Build Fidelity Bank’s internal capability to design, manage and deliver high-impact mentoring programmes to its loan recipients

Approach

Over two programme cycles, The Human Edge supported Fidelity Bank to:

• Recruit and match 34 mentors and 65 mentees
• Deliver 3-day in-person mentor and mentee training sessions in Accra
• Build internal capacity by training five staff members through the Running Effective Mentoring Programmes course
• Provide quarterly check-ins and peer learning calls to sustain engagement
• Transition from co-led to Fidelity-led programme delivery in the second cohort

Impact

Entrepreneur Development

• 100% of mentees said they would recommend the programme
• Mentees reported greater clarity, confidence, and practical progress in areas like planning, funding, marketing and resilience
• Participants described the mentoring experience as transformative and emotionally supportive

Mentor Growth

• Mentors rated the training 4.6/5
• Reported personal growth in empathy, active listening, and renewed purpose
• Many mentors expressed interest in continuing and even returned for Cohort 2 in new roles

Institutional Capacity

• Fidelity Bank staff gained practical experience in design and delivery
• Demonstrated ownership and capability to independently lead future mentoring programmes
• Feedback showed strong demand for continued programming with broader reach

Key Takeaways

• Mentoring complements finance: Structured, trust-based mentoring gave Fidelity’s loan recipients the confidence and tools to turn funding into sustainable growth.
• Capacity building pays off: Investing in internal training enabled Fidelity Bank to take ownership and expand the programme.
• Relationships matter: Mentees described transformative trust with their mentors—proving that mentoring is not just strategic, it’s deeply human.