Females and children are the most vulnerable. In Ghana, the situation is no different, especially in farming communities such as the cashew-growing areas in the Bono Region.

The vulnerable, especially female household heads, in such communities, are confronted with exploitations in all forms of modern slavery.

And to protect and support some of these vulnerable, Actionaid, with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norad, has been implementing a project named “combating modern slavery”.

The project, since 2021, has built the capacities of state institutions to identify, prevent, and protect vulnerable groups as well as worked with businesses to implement anti-modern slavery measures and for the vulnerable to be able to resist and seek redress for their recruitment into modern slavery.

As part of the measures, Actionaid has completed training of 380 out of 400 selected vulnerable females in livelihood empowerment skills training in selected artisanal areas. 

The beneficiaries, trained by Ghana Enterprises, were selected from 12 districts (Sissala East, Wa East, Lawra, Kadjebi, Jasikan, Nkwanta South, East Gonja, Kpandai, Nanumba South, Jaman South, Jaman North, and Tain) in the Upper West, Northern, Oti, and Bono Regions.

In the Tain District of the Bono Region, 39 female household heads in nine project communities were reached and trained in pastry making, soap making, tiling, beads making, and make-ups to be self-employed and resist modern slavery.

At a short ceremony at Nsawkaw to present all the start-up tools needed to help the beneficiaries to increase their income levels and improve their livelihood, Kwame Afram-Denkyira, Regional Program Manager for Actionaid, said the livelihood areas were selected based on the market availability in the beneficiary communities.

“After the selection, we went back to the beneficiaries for validation to ensure that their selected skills training has a ready market in the communities to take them away from their dependency on the cashew production value chain where the exploitation often happens”, he explained.

He emphasized that mechanisms have been put in place to monitor the progress of the beneficiaries.

Mr. Afram said, “Whatever we do now will be towards how they are getting market for their products. We will also link them up with other available market opportunities to ensure the sustainability of the project.”

He expects the beneficiaries to also mentor and be a source of employment to other young people in the communities.

Tain District Social Welfare Director, Prince Nimo, reminded the beneficiaries that the expansion of the project to cover more vulnerable people depends on how they make good use of the training and materials given to them, hence they should eschew laziness and work hard.

A tiling beneficiary from Nsuhunu, Victoria Mensah, said the life-changing skills as a tiler would help her support her family. “I am happy to be doing this as a female, and I could get jobs even more than the male tillers,” she said and thanked Actionaid for coming to their aid.

Actionaid is a not-for-profit development organization that champions the rights of the vulnerable in society, especially women, youth, persons with disabilities, and children, to ensure they live their full potential.

They recently trained and presented start-up tools to 34 female household heads in Sampa and nearby communities in the Jaman North District.