Saapare: Over a hundred women in Saapare and its neighboring communities in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District have successfully completed livelihood empowerment training to enhance their economic standing and support their families’ health and educational needs. The initiative focused on training the women in soap making (both liquid and cake) and pastries (meat pie) making, providing them with essential skills to overcome financial challenges prevalent in the area.

According to Ghana News Agency, the training was organized by the Africa Centre for Human Rights and Sustainable Development (AfCHuRSD) Ghana, in collaboration with Pognaa Vida Ngmenmaalee, the Queen Mother of the Saapare community. This initiative is part of the Girls and Women Economic Empowerment, Livelihood and Participation in Leadership (GWEEL) project, implemented by AfCHuRSD in partnership with the Equity, Opportunity and Development Fund (EODF) in Action. The training marks the first in a series of economic empowerment sessions planned for women in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District.

Madam Bernice Naah, the Executive Director of AfCHuRSD Ghana, addressed the women post-training, praising them for their dedication and enthusiasm, which she noted as an indication of their readiness to utilize the skills learned. She expressed optimism that the women would establish small businesses in soap and pastries making to support their families. Madam Naah highlighted the potential of soap as a basic household commodity to significantly improve their economic status.

Pognaa Ngmenemaalee, the Queen Mother of Saapare, emphasized that the skills training would serve as an alternative livelihood source, empowering women to improve their lives. Participants of the training expressed gratitude to Pognaa Ngmenemaalee and AfCHuRSD Ghana, acknowledging the intervention’s potential to help them meet their families’ needs.

Ms. Alice Dakubo, a Community Health Nurse at the Saapare Community-based Health and Planning Services (CHPS), who took part in the training, noted that the acquired skills would alleviate economic hardships. She appealed for support from benevolent institutions and individuals in the form of capital or equipment to help them establish their businesses.

Funded by the Equal Opportunity Fund Netherlands, the GWEEL project is currently being implemented across 20 communities within the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa, Wa West, Jirapa, and Nadowli-Kaleo Districts.