Sunyani MCE, Swiss Embassy, Alternative Livelihoods Improvement Project

By thefourlens.com

Project Beneficiaries At Atronie Area

Atronie (Bono region), February 04, 2023

The Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr. John Ansu Kumi has commended the Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana for its socioeconomically empowerment support for women farmers in smaller communities in Sunyani.

Mr. Kumi, on Thursday, on behalf of Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister handed over startup tools and materials for 45 women farmers at Atronie area.

The women underwent a free eight-days capacity building and skills training, a project fully sponsored by the Swiss Embassy to expanded daily incomes and sustain the livelihoods of beneficiaries.

They were trained and empowered in liquid soap, alata (black) and Azuma blow (solid ball) soaps making as alternative livelihoods improvement skills. 

Mr. Kumi noted the self encouragement by the women to undertake the training in addition to their farming activities was a life changing step in the right direction, saying “this training is a self employable and socioeconomic expansion venture”.

Mr. John Ansu Kumi, the Sunyani MCE Speaking

The Atronie area training is the third project, aimed at helping women in the smaller communities to get alternative livelihoods sustainability means in place of their seasonal farming activities.

In all, 150 women from Kurosua area, Daadom and Atronie areas have benefited from the project since it inception in September 2022 and have received startup kits worth over One Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis.

Thefourlens.com noted that Mrs. Eunice Adams and Mrs. Elizabeth Lariba, the Technical trainers of the second and third training were trainees who benefited from the first project at Kurosua No.2 and environs.

A section of the Training

Mrs. Esther Akuamoah was the Business Management trainer.

The Kavinang Foundation, a non governmental organization into community development and women’s economic empowerment is facilitating the projects.

Mr. Seth Cudjoe, the project coordinator said beneficiaries would be given financial literacy and business management and sustainability training and help them register as cooperatives.

Some of the beneficiary told thefourlens.com in an interview that the project is “a major turning point” because “we previously rely solely on seasonal farming because of the rainfall pattern but this would help change our narratives”. 

Mrs. Sarah Amoah said “I have always been buying soap from the market to take care of the home so this would drastically reduce my daily expenses”.

Thefourlens.com 

Writer’s email: ttchrietoph1@gmail.com

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