Nyariga (UE), July 2, GNA – The Blessing Baskets Project Ghana, straw baskets exporting organization, has supported 32 women groups at Nyariga, in the Bolgatanga Municipality to help protect them from contracting the coronavirus disease.
The organization, with funding support from its partners in the United States of America (USA), Ten by Three and Trans Chemical, has donated preventive items worth GH¢28, 780.00 to about 800 women in their operational zone.
The items included; 1,000 pieces of nose masks, 40 gallons of liquid soap, 40 veronica buckets, 40 tissue paper, 40 hand sanitizers and 1,560 pieces of carbolic soap.
Mr Abdulai Asuah, the Executive Director of Blessing Baskets Project Ghana, said his outfit was established in 2004 and registered as a Non-Governmental Organization in 2007 and has since been supporting the women weaver groups in the area to market their baskets.
He said in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and as part of the project’s corporate social responsibility was to assist the vulnerable women to safeguard themselves against the spread of the infectious virus.
The Executive Director noted that the coronavirus was fast spreading and there was the need to protect and support the vulnerable in society.
“According to the World Health Organization, each infected COVID-19 person contaminates between 2.5 to 3 other persons. In effect, our support for 800 weavers shall have an immediate impact on about 2,400 persons, thus, weavers and their immediate family members, while indirect beneficiaries are estimated to be over 20,000 persons since the message will be widely circulated to all communities and societies,” he said.
He said the basket weaving industry was the most hit sector as most of the products were usually exported, but due to the pandemic many of their orders were cancelled and the little the women saved was being spent on food and other essential needs.
“We appeal to government to consider Basket weavers and other artisanal groups first in its stimulus package and we further ask for separate package with regard to our peculiar circumstance,” he added.
While commending Madam Theresa Carrington, the Executive Director of Ten by Three, USA, for the support over the years and the COVID-19 items, Mr Asuah appealed to other institutions to support the women.
Naba Paul Agoo, the Chief of Zaare community, commended Blessing Baskets Project Ghana and its partners in the USA for the support they had provided to the women over the years and urged them to continue to enhance their livelihood.
The Chief advised the beneficiaries to put the items to good use and adhere strictly to the prescribed precautionary and safety protocols such as regular hand washing with soap under running water, use of hand sanitizer and wearing of nose masks among others, to protect themselves from contracting the virus.
Mrs Afaamah Asarige, one of the leaders of the women groups, expressed gratitude to Blessing Baskets Project Ghana and its partners and pledged to properly use the items for maximum benefit.
She said since the outbreak of the virus, their businesses saw a halt in orders for baskets and the situation was having a toll on their daily livelihood.
GNA