By Stanley Senya
Accra, April 29, GNA – Inspire Action, a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) has trained 24 people in detergent manufacturing and wig-making.
Inspire Action through its promotion of Vocational Oriented Training (PVOT) initiative aims to improve the lives of people in underserved communities as part of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
A news statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said, Inspire Action initiated the PVOT project to provide knowledge on how to make detergents, wigs, braids, barb hair, manicure, pedicure and clothes.
It said the PVOT initiative had so far trained beneficiaries in both the first and second cohorts of 24 participants, it had seven participants in soap manufacturing and six participants in wig-making class in the second cohort.
The statement said the NGO had increased the employability of the trainees by arming them with relevant vocational skills and boosting their self-esteem.
Mr Justice Zeukew, The Head of Mission for Inspire Action, said that the PVOT project was introduced to address the unemployment situation in Ghana to train about 500 people in a span of 12 months.
According to him, learners would be provided with essential skills to enhance and support their personal development and also offer them self-employment opportunities.
“The mission of the PVOT project was in line with Sustainable Development Goals 4, 8 and 9. However, to achieve the SDGs through vocational training, it is important to ensure that vocational training programmes are accessible, affordable, and high-quality,” he said.
He said it was important to provide persons with technical and vocational education to achieve sustainable economic growth.
However, the statement said the trainees would be enrolled in a mandatory entrepreneurial class organized by Inspire Action to ensure that they could use the skills they acquire to earn a living.
Mrs Christiana Ansah, Trainer for the Detergent-making Class, said the trainees were taught how to make liquid soaps, fabric softeners, and floor cleaners.
She commended Inspire Action for undertaking such a project to address the widening unemployment gap in the country as it will provide the trainees with the skills to be able to cater for themselves.
“Even if you do it and you don’t sell, you can do it and use it for yourself. Also, you make an income from selling it and be your boss,” she explained.
She urged all the trainees to re-invest in their newly acquired skills rather than idling at home because success does not occur in a vacuum so they should be willing to make an effort.
Hawawu Karim, Trainer for the Wig-Making Class expressed her excitement about the training as a lot of young people could benefit from it.
“When the trainees make the wig, they can choose to sell or wear it. I encourage all persons to come and learn because it’s absolutely free,” she said.
Evelyn Bedzo, A beneficiary, commended Inspire Action for the training opportunity as she had been provided with lifelong skills that she could leverage to supplement her income.
She urged all stakeholders to facilitate various vocational trainings for Ghanaians particularly the youth, to address the issue of unemployment in the country.
GNA