By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Aug 6, GNA – A total of 30 young women comprising single mothers, out-of-school girls, orphans and self-sponsored students in the Northern Region have received skills training to help provide them with employment and business opportunities.
The three-month training, which began in February, this year, saw the young women undergo intensive training in pastry making, cosmetology and smock weaving.
It was undertaken by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), committed to ensuring the safety, dignity and well-being of women and girls.
Plan International Ghana, Global Affairs Canada under the Women’s Voice and Leadership in Ghana project funded the training, dubbed: “Securing Economic Rights of Out-of-School Young Women through Entrepreneurship and Skills Training.”
It was in partnership with the Northern Regional Directorate of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Ten of the trainees were selected from SWIDA-Ghana’s leadership and mentorship academy whilst the remaining 20 included out-of-school girls in the region.
The graduation ceremony was held in Tamale on the theme: “Unveiling Potential: Transforming Lives”, and it attracted stakeholders including traditional leaders, parents and guardians.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, the Executive Director, SWIDA-Ghana, said the initiative was tailored to encourage self-employment and to enable young women and girls live decent and productive lives.
She said when women were economically empowered, it reduced cases of domestic violence, whilst at the same time facilitating their active participation in the overall development of the country.
She touched on the sustainability of the initiative and said the trainees would be attached to the Northern Regional Directorate of TVET to help sharpen their skills in entrepreneurship, digital marketing and products development.
She commended the master trainers, parents and guardians for contributing significantly to making the training successful.
Hajia Sagito-Saeed advised the graduands to master their craft through hard work, innovation, respect and perseverance.
Madam Humaimatu Abdul-Wahab, Head of Informal Apprenticeship Unit, Northern Regional Directorate of TVET Services, advised the graduands to prioritise good time management and punctuality towards their work.
She urged them to improve customer care and satisfaction by adopting good communication skills and adding value to their goods and services.
Some of the trainees, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, commended SWIDA-Ghana and partners for the initiative and said it would help them to create jobs for themselves and their peers.
The graduands received certificates while the master trainers received certificates of recognition for impacting skills to the trainees.
GNA