65 trained in beadscraft at Ketu

At least 65 women including professional midwives, the youth, children and housewives graduated at Denu in the Ketu South Constituency, after a two- year intensive skill training in beadscraft, fashion designing and housewifery.

The trainer of the women and Chief Executive of Beads Afrique, Delphine Enyo Dogbegah, said the empowerment was to rejuvenate the potential and values of their grandparents who depended on beads weaving as their source of livelihoods.

The beneficiary graduates were drawn from Beadcraft Boot camp ladies of the Ketu South Elephant family.

Madam Dogbegah was grateful to the Patron in Chief, Prof. Angela Ofori-Atta, Ghana Gas and Makavo Hotel, among others, for supporting the training programme.

The theme was; “Beads, a magnifier of tradition, an important symbol of history, value it, love it, treasure it. Revisiting the narrative”.

In a welcome address, Madam Dogbegah underscored the cultural, economic and the tourist value of beads and encouraged the beneficiaries to use the skills acquired to build the home and the lives of members of their communities.

She also called for further support to enable Beads Afrique to train more women in beadscraft.

She expressed her happiness at the successful programme involving women from diverse backgrounds but were able to comport themselves to the end.

Former Minister and Chairperson of Ghana Gas Company, Christine Churcher, was happy about what she saw as a ground-breaking training programme.

She urged the graduates to be proud as women and use their God-given hands to create beautiful products for the market to attract money for the upkeep of the home, children and husbands during challenging times.

The Omanhene of Eastern Nzema who is also the vice President of the Western Region House of Chiefs, Awulae Aminhere Kpanyinli III, who inter-laced his remarks in the Ewe language could not hide his appreciation and appealed to the trainer to extend the training to Nzema.

He underscored the value of beads in culture and African tradition describing it as the “epitome of life”.

The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Johnson Avuletey, said efforts would be made to provide similar training to other towns.

He congratulated the trainees for taking up the challenge to learn and urged them to work and share the knowledge with others.

The beneficiaries displayed their craft in the fashion show and their handiwork to the admiration of all.

Certificates were given to the graduates and start-ups.

The usual traditional dance displaying the ecstatic Agbadza and rendition of melody from ARS choir, Roman Catholic choir and singing bands heralded the day.