Twenty-five people have been trained in batik, tie and dye, soap making, beads making, dress making and Information Communication Technology (ICT) vocational at Navrongo in the Upper East Region.
The training was organised by the Our Lady of Mercy Community Services (OLAM) in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development.
Most of the beneficiaries were school drop outs and past students of junior and senior high schools who could not continue their education due to financial challenges.
Apart from the training, the beneficiaries received start-up capital in the form of equipment and also took home certificates.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Navrongo, the Project Director of OLAM, Mr Emmanuel Atiiga, explained that the NGO, had been operating in northern Ghana since 2005 with the aim of empowering the underprivileged communities, women and children towards poverty reduction and community development.
Mr Atiiga said: “Over the years, we have done a lot in our operational areas and have achieved great results.
“We have extended micro credit to women groups in communities such as Nakolo, Vunania, Nogsenia, Saka and surrounding communities in 2006/ 2007 and not less than150 women benefited; we have trained over 300 young girls, SHS, and JHS students in basic computing and internet application.
“We have given skills training to another 350 women and girls in the various vocational courses and entrepreneurship development with support from COTVET-SDF, Ghanaman Trust Fund, OSIWA- SENEGAL and Associated Country Women of the World, ACWW-UK.”
He said many of the students who had passed out of the vocational training centre had set up their own shops and producing standard products to many people including institutions.
Mr Atiiga entreated the current students to put into good use the knowledge acquired to fend for themselves and their families.
Giving her testimony, one of the past students of the training centre, Mrs Faustina Mayila, a 42 year -old woman, explained that before she joined the centre to be trained, she was selling sachet water and flour and used to trek long distances to schools in the Municipality to sell.
“After the training I set up my own shop with the assistance from the training institution and now produce batik, tie and dye, soap, beads and dresses on contract basis to institutions such as the Ghana Health Service and the Community Health Nursing Training College in Navrongo.
“I am now economically empowered and support my husband to pay the children’s school fees and I am also into rice farming,” she said.
Dr Stanislaus Alu Kandingdi, the Municipal Chief Executive, commended the NGO for complementing the efforts of Government in training and empowering the youth in the area of employment creation, promoting peace, climate change as well as addressing issues relating to women and children.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
