Movement of Rural Entrepreneurial Women (MORE-WOMEN), a women and youth-focused organization, has donated equipment to young men and women in the Manyoro community in the Upper East Region.
It would be recalled that about a month ago, MORE-WOMEN launched a UNDP-funded Livelihood Project in the Manyoro community titled “Strengthening Livelihood Opportunities for Vulnerable Populations through Support to Women and Youth.” At the launch, it was communicated that the the project aimed at equipping women and youth with innovative skills, knowledge, resources, and support to achieve sustainable livelihoods.
The NGO has now returned to donate small ruminants/livestock, weaving machines (looms), metal fabrication/welding machines, hairdressing equipment, and other items to a total of 108 beneficiaries.
Addressing community members in Manyoro, Edward Ampratwum, the head of Inclusive and Accountable Governance at UNDP, underscored the rationale behind the initiative.
He stated, “Today marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Atlantic Corridor region, which includes Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire. We are gathered here to hand over livelihood support tools to women and youth in Manyoro, empowering them to become agents of positive change.”
“As we are aware, the increasing threat of violent extremism from the Sahel towards the northern parts of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, coupled with factors like poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion, has been revealed by the value chain analysis and baseline study conducted by UNDP in December 2023. The study identified livelihood opportunities in cultural value chains that can be leveraged to transform the lives of women and youth, strengthening their resilience against violent extremism. In response, UNDP implemented the project titled ‘Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in the Atlantic Corridor,’ focusing on enhancing the socioeconomic resilience of vulnerable individuals through livelihood support for women and youth to address the root causes and immediate drivers of radicalization leading to violent extremism in the sub-region.”
Some beneficiaries shared their excitement with A1News:
“We received welding machines, file machines, cutting machines, helmets, boots, and other equipment. These tools will greatly assist us in our workshop and benefit our community,” Wepe Andi said.
“My name is Gifty. I am one of the beneficiaries receiving hairdressing equipment, including hairdressing machines, drying machines, rollers, and drying lines. We are extremely grateful for this support, as I recently graduated from hairdressing but lacked the funds to purchase these items. With this assistance, I can start my own business, support my family, and pay my children’s school fees. We are very thankful to MORE-WOMEN and UNDP for their generosity,” another resident said.
Pe Clement Atudipare, who spoke on behalf of the overlord of the Manyoro traditional area, expressed gratitude to MORE-WOMEN and UNDP for supporting his community.
Sixtus Akanzinge Nsoh, the Programs Manager of MORE-WOMEN, provided details about the project and its target beneficiaries. He said, “The project is an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the governments of Denmark, Australia, Norway, and Germany. UNDP has been implementing this project with the Upper East Regional Peace Council since 2023.
MORE-WOMEN is responsible for the livelihood component of the project being implemented in the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality of the region. The project, which has a duration of six months, aims to address the drivers of radicalization leading to violent extremism by strengthening livelihood opportunities for vulnerable populations through support to women and youth in the Manyoro community.
In phase one, the project supports 108 beneficiaries, with an additional 150 to be supported in phase two, making a total of 258 beneficiaries. Approximately 500 people are indirectly benefiting from the project.”
Source: A1Radioonline.Com | 101.1 MHz | Samuel Adagom | Bolgatanga
