Over hundred vulnerable women have been empowered in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region to become financially independent.
Talensi is one of the poorest districts in the region with a high level of poverty as captured in reports by various organizations despite the presence of gold in the area.It also has a record of girls of school going age dropping out as a result of teenage pregnancy or migration to southern part of Ghana in search for non-existent greener pastures.
Most of the active class especially the women are unskilled thereby increasing dependency ratio in that area.It is in this vain that selected women have been equipped with sewing machines to begin a trade in order to address their monetary challenges.
The benevolence was extended by Shaanxi,a Chinese mining company providing support service to a local mining firm in that enclave.One Hundred and Ten Sewing Machines were donated to some selected women in the district.
The initiative, according to the company’s Public Relations Officer, Maxwell Wooma,was part of their corporate social responsibility geared towards alleviating poverty in their area of operation.
“The principal of corporate social responsibility is no longer defined by how much money a company contributes to charity, but by its overall involvement in activities that can improve the quality of lives of the environment. As a company, we are pleased to touch the lives of 110 women from the district with sewing machines. Each beneficiary shall go home with a brand new sewing machine.” He explained.
Mr. Wooma however used the opportunity to announce the Company’s readiness to venture into large scale mining and appealed to authorities for their cooperation as the district stands to benefit largely when their operations become successful.
A beneficiary whose name was given as Rita said “after dropping out of High School due to circumstances, I went to learn sewing but was wondering how to get a sewing machine. Now here I am gifted with a new one.”
Another beneficiary, named Lamisi gleefully added that “this machine will help me to begin my work as Seamstress because after passing out, I couldn’t buy one. Hmm! God will bless the workers of the company.”
Meanwhile, Upper East Regional Minister, Tangoba Abayage who was a special guest for the occasion, encouraged business partners as well as people in the region to support in the fight against illegal mining in the communities.
Source:A1radioonline.com|101.1MHZ|Ghana
