In May 2021, 132 young men and women in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region graduated from a skills training program launched in December 2020 by ActionAid Ghana dubbed Providing Employment Opportunities for Young People in Ghana, (PEOY) with funding support from the medicore Foundation which has come to beneficiaries as a big relief.
The project is being implemented in three regions in Ghana including Talensi District in the Upper East Region, Mion and Sagnarigu in the Northern Region, and Asutifi North District in the Ahafo Region with each district getting 126 youth being trained except Mion has 141 recruited to be trained under the three-year project. In the end, over 500 youth are set to benefit from the initiative from the three regions and four districts.
The youth were trained in tilling, soap making, Leatherwork, Basketry, catering, weaving, phone repairs, satellite installation, and phone repairs at no cost to them.
As part of evaluating the successes chalked so far, an exhibition exercise has been held at the forecourt of the youth training center to gauge what the beneficiaries have been doing since their exit from the program.
This saw many of the beneficiaries exhibit a variety of products including soap, Shea products, footwear, smock material, baskets, chips, and bread among others as products they have made.
For many of these beneficiaries, the training changed their lives for the better since they now have a skill they are relying on to take care of themselves and their families.
Some say they are currently working from home while exploring the possibility of setup a shop while others have already set up and are cashing in on their skill.
Speaking to Dreamz News at the Exhibition, a beneficiary, Dorcas Zoogar said “It has been helpful because I learned this while in school and it helped me to raise money for myself while in school. I will only urge that we get some more training on branding so that we can go global with our products,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Ayinbila Ibrahim Atanga noted that the skills he acquired as a basket weaver are helping him to take care of his family.
“I am now able to take care of my younger ones and to improve upon my life. I sell to middlemen who buy from me and also export. So, I can say this has helped to change my life,” he stated.
The Upper East Regional Manager of ActionAid Ghana, Alhassan Sulemana, was delighted that many of the beneficiaries have not abandoned their respective trades but are engaged in productive ventures.
“Today’s event is to climax the training that we gave to the youth. We know how unemployment is a big issue for the government and I must say that I am impressed looking at the quality of products that they produce now,” Mr. Alhassan expressed delight.
