By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Ampain (WR), Aug. 22, GNA- Some 87 young ladies have graduated from a three-month intensive life skills programme to aid them in job creation and end the cycle of poverty among rural women within the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.
The project, under the Adamus Resources Limited (ARL) “Women Empowerment Project” (WEP), saw the women taken home tool kits to enable them to start a business and certificates.
The graduands, as part of the event, exhibited works in soap, bleach, wigs and pomade.
The training conducted by the College of Beauty Arts and Entrepreneurship (CBAE), took the graduands through make-up artistry, hair technology, product formation, millinery, and accessories.
The General Manager, ARL, Mr Alex Mensah Hagan, expressed the company’s desire to ensure the development of host communities.
One of such approach, he mentioned, was the project, which would transform the economy of women in districts.
The Chief Executive of ARL, Ms Angela List, was optimistic that the achievement of empowerment Project, so far, demonstrated the capacity of the women to aspire higher, stating that “the display of the products at the exhibition is an inspiration to us.”
She commended the women for bracing the storm, despite the challenges with hard work and encouraged to carry on with same zeal in establishing their businesses.
“In your life journey, you will face challenges. But work on your excellent services, good customer care and never give up. Build your businesses, create new employments, and grow to work with more women,” Ms List said.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who chaired the event, believed that WEP was an opportunity to enhance the economic status of women in the area.
He noted how employable skills, had the potential to help, communities in the Region to take charge of production and national development.
Mr Darko-Mensah suggested the agenda of marketing skills “so that we can aggregate the potentials of women in the country.”
“Entrepreneurship is the only way–. If the people of the Western Region have the skills and own the productive assets, they can be rich. If you want to be rich, own the productive assets and be competitive in both Ghana and the world. With skills, you will never go hungry,” he advised the graduands.
The Regional Minister thanked ARL for the WEP which would give Ellembelle women the opportunity to enhance their skills and economic empowerment.
Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Mr Emmanuel Armah -Kofi Buah, also pointed out that WEP was important “because mining will one day be over and what is key is what we do with the communities.
He said, “I am excited that despite the challenges, the 87 women successfully graduated in just three months of intensive skills training programme. Employment is a national security issue and so provision of skills is key.”
Mr Armah announced that he would liaise with Adamus Resources to ensure another batch of 2,000 people would be enrolled under the programme to also train the youth in skills development.
Chief Executive of CBAE, Rebecca Donkor, applauded the women for their sacrifices, saying that, they had been equipped to start their own businesses, be productive, self -reliant and take the command of production in their various fields.
She urged the women to be leaders, sharpen their communication skills and customer care to enable them to make a positive impact in their community.
“Be Creative and make the difference; be focused and don’t be afraid to take the risk,” Ms Donkor advised.
She applauded the queen mother of Teleku Bokazo, Nana Buah, for her vision that birthed the WEP.
Chief Executive Officer of the African Investment Consortium, Kwasi Agbley, noted that, one major challenge facing businesses especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was how to get seed capital to start investment.
He suggested that the group would work with Ms List and team to discuss an initiative to enhance production and improve upon the economy of SMEs.
The Ellembelle District Chief Executive, Mr Kwasi Bonzo lauded the partnership to unearth the talents and potentials of women in the district which would translate into wealth creation and create better versions of the women in the area.
GNA