About 35 women in New Dokyiwa, a farming community in Obuasi, have successfully participated in the first in the series of a comprehensive training programme rolled out by Anglogold Ashanti Ghana-Obuasi Mine in partnership with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly.
The women, who had already formed a Cooperative known as Dokyiwa Women’s Cooperative, were trained in baking, confectionery and soap making with the aim of enhancing their prospects for sustainable income generation and economic empowerment.
The training, which spanned a period of nine days, provided the women with essential knowledge and hands-on experience in the baking and soap making industries.
Speaking at the close-out session of the programme dubbed ‘Livelihood Enhancement Programme for Women’, the Economic Development Superintendent of AGA, Daniel Arthur- Bentum, who spoke on behalf of the Senior Manager Sustainability, said included in AGA’s 10-year SEDP is a plan to promote sustainable Livelihoods within its host communities.
“We believe that empowering women is an essential step towards achieving that goal,” he said.
With the training received, he believed the women would be better placed to take charge of their own futures and be economically independent.
He further stressed that the training was held on the heels of a financial literacy training programme organised for female traditional leaders and vocational skills development projects in hair dressing, dressmaking and other skill areas to build the capacity of women in their host communities.
Mr. Arthur-Bentum added that through the Obuasi Mine’s Enterprise and Skills Development Center, the women who had successfully gone through the training will receive support in developing individual business plans and strategies to promote and sustain their businesses.
“We will support them with the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority’s approval processes including labelling of their products, good food manufacturing processes, registration and licensing.”
On his part, the Obuasi Municipal Coordinating Director, Stephen Tecku, who represented the Municipal Chief Executive, said it has been the wish of every government to employ as many people as people but that has been an uphill task hence the Assembly leverages on its partnership with the private sector including Anglogold Ashanti to provide skills development training for people.
He said the training was intended to empower them economically and make them financially independent stressing that it was incumbent on them to put the training into good use by commercialising it.
“The Assembly together with AGA is planning to establish you properly but that can only be done when you also commit yourselves into making good use of the training.”
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to the media lauded Anglogold Ashanti and the media for the training.
They assured that they will put the training acquired into good use for the benefit of themselves and their families.