By Prince Nornorme
Kolenu (V/R), Oct. 16, GNA – Madam Evelyn Nattey, an aspiring Women Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Afadzato South in the Volta region has distributed hot ovens and other items to select women at Kolenu.
The gesture is to empower them economically and encourage their active participation in political activities without fear.
The donation was made on Thursday, was under the newly established indigenous venture, ERA Bakery, which is based in the district and seeks to provide modern and quality bakery services to the people of Afadzato South and beyond.
Speaking during the unveiling of the ovens Madam Nattey, the aspiring Women Organizer said the day marked a new beginning for the area, not just for the bakery but for job creation and women empowerment.
“Today is a very special day for us at ERA Bakery. Today we are not just commissioning or unveiling new ovens; we are presenting new hope, new jobs and a new future for Afadzato South,” she said.
Madam Evelyn said, ERA Bakery was established in Afadzato South to bring quality bakery services to the doorstep of the people and to ensure that residents do not have to travel to Ho and other far places to access fresh bread, birthday cakes, meat pies and doughnuts.
She explained that ERA means a New Era – a new era of fresh taste, a new era of jobs for the youth and women, and a new era of local development.
“ERA Bakery is born here in Afadzato South, for Afadzato South, and by the people of Afadzato South,” she added.
According to her, the day was two-in-one – to outdoor and dedicate the new ovens which would help the bakery to bake more, faster and better, and to mark Women Empowerment, which she said was at the centre of the operations of the bakery.
She outlined three main objectives of the bakery, namely to provide quality, fresh, affordable and healthy bread and pastries, to create jobs for indigenes especially women and the youth, and to empower women and reduce poverty in Afadzato South.
“We believe that when you empower a woman, you empower a whole community,” she stressed.
On sustainability, Madam Nattey said the bakery would continue to source its raw materials locally from farmers and market women in the district, train and retrain its staff, maintain high standards of hygiene and quality, and protect the environment by using energy-efficient ovens and eco-friendly packaging.
She appealed to natives of Afadzato South, both home and abroad, as well as churches, schools, shops and event organizers, to patronize products from ERA Bakery.
“When you buy from ERA Bakery, you are not just buying bread. You are creating a job for your own sister, your own daughter and your own mother. Over 80 percent of our workers are women and they are indigenes of Afadzato South,” she said.
She noted that every cedi spent at the bakery circulates within the local economy, supports local traders, and ensures that customers enjoy fresh products baked daily without preservatives.
The aspiring Women Organizer Madam Evelyn expressed gratitude to chiefs and elders in the area for their support and to customers for their loyalty, and reaffirmed her commitment to women empowerment through skills training and job creation.
The Assembly Member Mr Edem Delka, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency expressed appreciation for the gesture and said the support would help them start their own businesses and support their families.
They also pledged to take active part in community development and political activities in the district.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah