Stakeholders of PAGES asked to sustain project

Mr Prem Shukla, Country Director of Plan International, has called on stakeholders to sustain and improve on the successes chalked out in the implementation of the Promoting African Grassroots Economic Security (PAGES) project.

The primary goals of the project are to enhance household livelihoods, improve quality education and to increase the number of children in schools, especially girls.

Mr Shukla, who made the call at the close of a conference of PAGES stakeholders at Winneba Junction, said the body was started in August 2010 and operates in seven Western and Eastern African countries.

The programme is being implemented by Plan Country offices through programme units in Upper West and Central Regions.

So far about 80 communities have benefitted notably; Wa, Tumu, Sissala East, Sissala West and Mankessim.

Mr Shukla said the project has components that focuses on enhancement of education, improvement of schools, marginalised children to get access to school, especially girls, income generation activities, vocational training for the youth and women as well as access to financial services like Village and Savings and Loan Association (VSLA).

He said the VSLA provides an opportunity for the people to have access to loans to cater for their children education as well as the training of teachers to enhance the level of teaching in the classroom.

The Country Director said the rate of primary school completion by children has gone up to 93 per cent whilst household assets have increase to more than 100 per cent.

He called on the youth groups in the PAGES to leverage on the skills and the capacity they have acquired to start their own small-scale businesses or gain employment from prospective employers.

Mr Shukla expressed gratitude to Microfin Plus and YARO partners and all those who contribute towards the success of the project and expressed the hope that they would continue to support its sustainability to better the lot of the people.