The African Centre for Human Rights and Sustainable Development (AfCHuRSD) has conducted a training program in Tamale, where 50 women were equipped with skills in liquid and bar soap making. The beneficiaries, selected from the Sagnarigu Municipality, included persons with disabilities (PwDs) and caregivers of PwDs, with the aim of providing them with livelihood skills to support themselves and their dependents.
This initiative is part of the Promoting Equal Rights for Women and Girls with Disabilities in Ghana project (PERD), which seeks to advocate for the fundamental human rights of women and girls with disabilities, particularly focusing on their right to employment and protection from sexual and gender-based violence. Implemented by AfCHuRSD, Planned Parenthood Association Ghana, and Women in Need, the project is funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Ghana.
Madam Bernice Naah, Executive Director of AfCHuRSD, highlighted that participants were selected in collaboration with the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations, prioritizing those in need of such skills. She emphasized that soap making was chosen by the participants themselves, indicating their keen interest in pursuing this venture.
The PERD project, now in its final phase, has been incorporating livelihood training as a core activity since its inception in 2021. Previously, participants received training in financial literacy, complementing their newly acquired soap-making skills.
Beneficiaries expressed their gratitude and readiness to leverage the training to enhance their livelihoods. Madam Fadilatu Abdullah underscored the value of financial record-keeping skills combined with soap making knowledge, expressing her intention to scale up production for commercial purposes. Another beneficiary, Madam Amina Mohammed, shared how earlier training and support from the PERD project had positively impacted her business and enabled her to meet the basic needs of her children.
Madam Zeinab Alhassan, a first-time beneficiary and caregiver of a PwD, extended appreciation to the organizers for the opportunity. As a petty trader, she anticipated that adding soap making to her trade would alleviate the financial burden of caring for a child with a disability.
The training program not only equips women with valuable skills but also empowers them to become self-reliant, contributing to their economic independence and overall well-being.
