Progressive mentality to drive women empowerment

Mrs Ellen Hagan, Managing Director, L’aine Service, a human resource consultancy, has called for a more progressive mentality to drive women’s empowerment and leadership.

According to her, there must be the need to change how things are done and if necessary, the change must be forced.

Mrs Hagan was delivering the keynote address at the induction ceremony of 2014/2015 Vlisco Tailor Academy Ghana on the premises of the Tex Styles Ghana Limited in Tema.

Fourteen young women from all over Ghana were matriculated into the integrated tailoring education programme designed for talented, underprivileged and motivated young females to achieve financial autonomy.

The programme seeks to connect fashion education of Joyce Ababio College of Creative design and the business activities of the Vlisco group.

Mrs Hagan called on women to embrace education since it is the foundation and the springboard for pursuing career and life goals.

She asked for greater protection for girls by the society, more access to capital for women and also challenged women to shed off the “excuses of womanhood” and let hope triumph over fear and learning to conquer ignorance.

“We may have the family to care for, school PTA (Parent Teacher Association) meetings to attend and many other chores but that should not be an excuse. We spend so much time competing with men but that is not the reason of our creation; we must complement each other.”

Mr Kofi Boateng, Managing Director, Vlisco, said the partnership would facilitate Ghanaian fashion talent, education, funding, coaching and employment in an innovative way.

“For Vlisco group, the investment in the African fashion world and the empowerment of women are the drivers for a long lasting initiative that is, creating a platform that connects African fashion talent and creativity with the knowledge and activities of Vlisco group in the African and global fashion context,” he said.

Vlisco has since 1846 created unique textiles in Holland called Dutch wax originally known as “hollandaise” which has largely influenced the fashion landscape in West and Central Africa.