Eighty-two (82) young people of Drobonso in the Sekyere Afram Plains of the Ashanti Region have graduated from climate-smart entrepreneurial solution under the SOS-GrEEN training program.

They are part of the first phase of the economic empowerment program dubbed the, ‘cash-for-work’ initiative equipping 381 youth with employable skills and orientational technical training.

The project which is contributing to reducing unemployment in six districts in the country is in partnership with the European Union Africa Development Fund and UN Capital Development Fund.

The initiative was implemented in four districts in the Ashanti region and two districts in the Western region.

Training team leader, SOS-GrEEn project, Vincent Ohene Ntow, said they sought to equip participants with basic core life and employability skills.

The beneficiaries were exposed to the GrEEn local economy.

“We also used community members to undertake physical projects in the area, then we gave them some cash which they’ll be able to use to undertake green jobs within their local economy’’, he said.

A pavement was constructed in the Drobonso market under the European Union Africa Development Fund, with support from the UN Capital Development Fund to support climate-resilient infrastructure development.

Deputy Coordinating Director for Sekyere Afram Plains District, Nana T.K Okrah lauded GrEEn for the project 

“We’re very grateful to GrEEN for the intervention. The collaboration between GrEEN and the assembly to construct a pavement has been successful and smooth.

The assembly will adopt the cash-for-work initiative to help sustain the vision of GrEEN’’, he noted.

A total of 82 young people who have been equipped with employability skills and orientational technical training graduated from the SOS-GrEEN training in partnership with the European Union Africa Development Fund and UN Capital Development Fund.

One of the beneficiaries, Eric Sarpong revealed, “I never knew I had to keep money at the bank, but through the training I now save at the bank’’.

Comfort, another beneficiary said “We’ve been able to save money through the cash for work initiative, we want them to continue the project’’.