Jerone’s Journey: From Volunteer to CEO
During his service as a CorpsAfrica/Ghana G2 Volunteer, Jerone was placed in a rural community in the Central Region, where he quickly immersed himself in identifying local challenges and opportunities. He developed a keen interest in the region’s agricultural potential, particularly the underutilized assets in soybean and root crop farming.
What began as community engagement and development work eventually ignited a deeper sense of purpose: to leverage agriculture in solving society’s nutritional problems, especially for young children. Jerone’s time as a Volunteer helped him understand the needs of rural farmers firsthand, from post-harvest losses and limited market access to nutrition gaps in local diets. That understanding laid the groundwork for his next chapter.
After his service, Jerone teamed up with like-minded peers to co-found Soyko Agro Foods, a youth-led processing business. Their mission is to revolutionize nutrition and combat malnutrition through innovative, sustainable food solutions. The Gluten-Free Flour they produce is carefully crafted from a blend of potatoes, fonio, soya, and coconut, delivering a nutritious and versatile alternative for kids and families.
In his words:
“Our products are designed with a commitment to inclusivity, sustainability, and excellence, ensuring that every bite contributes to better health and brighter futures.”
In just a short time, the products have won them the Grand Prize at the University of Cape Coast Entrepreneurship Festival 1.0, receiving GHS 10,000 (~$1,000) in funding to support their certification, research, and equipment. They also secured $2,000 at the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) AgriTech Pro Challenge Finals, bringing them closer to scaling operations. They have partnered with 25 coconut and potato farmers to secure a stable supply chain of raw materials, providing ready market access to the farmers. Currently, he employs 7 staff members (2M/5F) with an average monthly income of GHS 8,000 (~$770), which can increase depending on market conditions.
Jerone’s journey from Volunteer to CEO in such a short time highlights what CorpsAfrica’s model makes possible. Today, Soyko Agro Foods is not just a business; it’s a movement to make Ghana’s agriculture value chain productive, inclusive, and export-ready.
“We’re building that future,” Jerone says, “one product, one farmer, and one child at a time.”