Residents of Tano-Odumase in the Sekyere South district of Ashanti have been trained in employable skills to empower them to undertake decent income-generating ventures. The beneficiaries, who were mainly women, were trained to use local materials including waste plastics to produce items like chains, bungles and baskets. They also learned to make soap.
The training was organized by Let Ghana Foundation, a non-governmental organization. The Director of Let Ghana Foundation, Anastasia Acquah, explained that the livelihood empowerment training is her NGO’s contribution towards empowering particularly the unemployed with vocational skills to enable them earn income to improve on their living standard.
Madam Acquah expressed worry about the youth’s over reliance on the central government for white colour jobs after school, a situation she noted, is contributing to the rising cases of joblessness in the society. She said the Foundation’s focus is to empower many more unemployed rural dwellers to reduce the harsh socio-economic condition that is high in such areas.
Madam Acquah therefore appealed to both individuals and the government to support the NGO, both in kind and cash, to enable it reach out to more communities. The queen mother of Tano-Odumase, Nana Poah Yiadom commended the Foundation for the initiative admitting that since the training can significantly empower the beneficiaries to earn a living.
She asked trainees practice use the skills they have acquired for their own good and also promised to support any of them who is interested to acquire land to begin their own businesses.