500 women in Bono to benefit from entrepreneurship project

A total of 500 vulnerable and marginalized women in the Bono Region are expected to benefit from basic entrepreneurship and vocational training project.

The five-month project dubbed “Women Empowerment and Enterprise Development” (WEED) is aimed at promoting women inclusion in decision- making as well as advocate gender-sensitive and equity at workplaces. The targeted communities are Sunyani, Abesim, Atronie, Nwawasua and Antwikrom-all in the Sunyani Municipality of the Bono Region.

The GH¢40,000 women empowerment initiative is being implemented by Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), a non-governmental organisation with financial support from Plan International, Global Affairs Canada and Women’s Voice and Leadership-Ghana.

The project activities include skills training on mushroom production for 100 women, vocational skills capacity building for 100 women and income generating activity (IGA), through soap making. Other 150 will undergo business development training, marketing, networking and advance sales techniques. Another 50 will be empowered to take up leadership and advocacy roles among others.

Moreover, the project is to empower 50 young women in women’s rights advocacy particularly on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women to reduce all forms of cultural and social norms that impede women’s business development at the end of the project and beyond.

Speaking at the launch of the project (WEED), the Project Director of the GloMeF, Madam Christiana Korankye, said the project has become necessary to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women-based economic activities.

She said: “some women have lost their capital, savings and business to the COVID-19 pandemic. The consequences have had significant impact on people’s lives, especially women, girls, underserved and vulnerable groups in the society.”

“In times of crisis, women and girls also face increased risks of other forms of gender-based violence including sexual exploitation and abuse”, she stated and explained that sexual and reproductive health and rights was a significant public health issue that requires high attention during pandemics.