Hogbe Fund to train 500 needy people

Anloga, April 22, GNA - The Hogbe Development Fund, instituted by the Regent of Anlo, Togbe Sri III, is to sponsor 500 needy people in the Anlo area in training for employable skills at the cost of 1.2 billion cedis.

Seventy of the beneficiaries, who are part of the initial 100 applicants, joined by their guarantors and trainers on Friday signed a Performance Agreement with the Fund at a ceremony at Anloga in the Keta District.

Estimated cost of training for the first 100 people is 240 million cedis, which includes the supply of sewing machines, hair dryers, tools and learning materials for the three-year courses, which includes hairdressing, dressmaking, carpentry and electronics. The fund would also assist the beneficiary trainees to establish businesses in the area with assistance in sourcing for jobs such as contracts for sewing school uniforms.

Mr Mawunyo Dzikunu, Project Manager of the Fund said hairdressing and dressmaking trainees, who excel during training would be sponsored to take advance courses at the Second Image Academy and the Design and Singer School in Accra.

He said trainees would be prepared for the National Vocational Institute (NVTI) examination at the end of the course to enable them get jobs in the formal sector as well.

Mr Dzikunu said trainees, who have not completed basic school would undergo three hours of adult literacy programmes every week to improve their reading skills.

Mr Prosper Afealete, Assembly Member for the Lagbati area at Anloga commended Togbe Sri for initiating the Fund and advised the trainees to be law abiding. He told the trainers that it was wrong to subject their trainees to corporal punishment, saying, it was against the laws of the land. Beneficiaries and their guardians pledged to justify the essence of the support by remaining hardworking. 22 April 06