By Francis Ofori
Accra, June 12, GNA-World University Service of Canada, (WUSC), a Canadian non-profit organisation, has officially concluded a five-year project aimed at providing support and promoting sustainable pathways for young women in Ghana.
The project dubbed: “Innovation in Non-Traditional Vocational Educational and Skills Training” (INVEST) was launched in 2020, targeting 5000 women in Accra, Kumasi and Tarkoradi with funding from Global Affairs Canada and support from Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry.
Beneficiaries received technical skills in high-demand sectors such as Construction, Energy, ICT, Electronics, Automation, Extractives, as well as in Engineering and Manufacturing.
Mr. George Opare Addo, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, speaking at the ceremony commended WUSC for implementing such a laudable programme to support young women in acquiring skills in male-dominated areas.
“Young women who ordinarily would not have such an opportunity and through this INVEST in Her” they have been given an opportunity to add on and contribute to the development of this country,” he added.
Mr. Opare Addo highlighted the need to create meaningful jobs to give young people the right skills which would in the long run decrease the number of migrants who seek greener pastures in other countries.
He announced that the Government under the National Apprenticeship and the Adwuma Wura programmes had rolled out plans to support women development, hence the call for donors to come on board to support the campaign.
The Minister called on the World University Service of Canada and the Canadian Embassy to extend the project to support the government’s developmental agenda to create job opportunities for the youth.
He thanked WUSC, Global Affairs Canada, Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry, GTVET and other stakeholders for championing the five-year project.
Mrs Appiah Wiafe-Adofo, Country Director, WUSC Ghana, said “over the past five years since 2020, the INVEST project has been more than a developmental initiative, it has been a movement. A bold step in redefining the role of urban marginalized young women in Ghana’s economy.”
She said the non-profit organisation, with the support of Global Affairs Canada, had made remarkable progress by changing mindsets, shifting social norms, empowering families, communities and employers to see the value of women’s full participation in male dominated areas.
She stated that despite the progress, women still represent 11 percent of the workforce in oil and gas, a call to put in more work to get more of them into these areas.
A total of 1,143 young women have received scholarships to go through their training under the intervention whereas 1,623 beneficiaries have also been linked to mentorship opportunities.
The Country Director said WUSC had also completed and enhanced government’s initiatives such as the Skills Development fund, the CTVET, GTVET and the Broader National Gender for Skill Development and Job Creation.
Madam Kathleen Flynn-Dapaah, Head of Cooperation, Canadian High Commission to Ghana congratulated the beneficiaries for their efforts to thrive in gender-imbalanced areas.
She said working together to bring a large youth population who are out of school back to TVET institutions was one of the tangible ways to curb the high rate of unemployment.
“Helping the youth move from the informal sector into the skill of workforce with the relevant TVET certifications as trades is one of the keyways Ghana is investing its long-term economic future”, she said.
Madam Flynn-Dapaah further urged stakeholders to take on young women in environments that were new to acquire new skills.
Mrs Nana Ama Mensah, Deputy Director, Head, Inclusive Education Unit, GTVET sent heartfelt appreciation to WUSC and other key stakeholders for promoting sustainable pathways for these young women.
She stated that despite the challenges faced in the areas, it was neccessary to promote younger females as part of efforts to increase job prospects.
” Companies, organisations are doing well but we want to promote more females, younger females. When we started INVEST, we were getting issues of endemic sexual harassment and it became difficult, but I am sure we are on the right path to solve these issues” she said.
The event featured a series of solidarity messages from partner organisations, underscoring their collective commitment to the objectives of the INVEST project.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade