Tongo (U/E), May 28, GNA – One Hundred and thirty-two young people from five communities in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region have graduated from a three-month vocational and technical skills training in hand works and entrepreneurship.
The training was organized by Action Aid Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organization under its Providing Employment Opportunities for Young people in Ghana project.
It had funding support from the Medicor Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Liechtenstein and benefitted youth from the Dapooretindongo, Awaredone, Baare, Wakii and Gbeogo communities.
The trainees received training in dressmaking, soap and pomade making, leather works, catering, basket and smock weaving, pastries, textile hand weaving, tiling, mobile phones repairs and satellite installation among others.
They also received working tools and equipment and start-up raw materials to enable them start their own small businesses.
At an exhibition and graduation ceremony, where certificates were awarded to the trainees, Ms Terence Tienaah, the Project Manager, said the project sought to provide technical and vocational skills to 531 people in four districts in three regions.
The districts include; Talensi in the Upper East Region, Mion and Sagnarigu Municipalities in the Northern Region and Asutifi North District in the Ahafo Region increase their income levels and livelihoods.
She said the project was aimed at contributing to empowering young people to engage in productive ventures to reduce poverty and migration.
Ms Tienaah explained that apart from boosting the skills of trainees to produce quality products and take advantage of the demand market, they youth were also equipped with marketing skills and financial literacy.
“The project will continue to engage the youth to ensure that their businesses are thriving, we want them to either start their own businesses or gain meaningful employment in the private sector. If they are able to train or employ other youth in their respective communities, the poverty levels in the areas will be reduced,” she said.
Ms Tienaah disclosed that the project was working with the youth to advocate the formulation and implementation of youth centered policies and programmes by policy makers to ensure youth participation and development to propel accelerated national development.
She said women empowerment was priority to the NGO and added about 65 percent of the beneficiaries were women especially women who had children.
Mrs Umu-Salima Yahaya, the Centre Manager, Namalteng Integrated Vocational Training Institute, who conducted the training for the youth urged them to use the skills to achieve economic independence.
Mr Bright Akurugu, one of the beneficiaries from Dapooretindongo community who learnt mobile phone repairs and satellite installation, expressed gratitude to Action Aid Ghana and its funding partner and noted the skills acquired would be used to improve on his livelihood.
He promised to not only establish a business with the start-up support but to also train other young people in the area to help reduce youth unemployment and rural urban migration.
Ms Juliana Yinbil, another beneficiary from the Baare Community who learnt leather works, said due to poverty she had not been able to go far in education after completing Senior High School about 10 years and noted that skills acquired would enable her engage in productive economic ventures.
GNA