UNFPA and Partners Scale Up Vocational Training and Literacy Initiatives to Empower Vulnerable Women and Children in Ghana

In a significant push for socio-economic empowerment, several non-governmental organizations and international partners have intensified vocational training and literacy programs across Ghana. Most recently, 25 young women previously working as head porters, or Kayayei, graduated from a year-long vocational program in painting and tiling. This initiative, part of the Kayayei Assistance Project (KASPRO), was led by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with Prudential Life Insurance Ghana and Purim Africa Youth Development. The program marks a major milestone in providing sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable migrants, bringing the total number of women trained through these collaborations to over 2,000. Beyond technical skills like tiling, painting, beauty services, and waste recycling, the participants received critical education on sexual health and the prevention of gender-based violence.

Dr. Wilfred Ochan, the UNFPA Country Representative, emphasized that the goal of these initiatives is to provide alternative income sources that help women escape the cycle of poverty and hazardous migration. Plans are already underway to expand the program nationwide, with intentions to partner with technical and vocational institutions to provide graduates with recognized certifications. The transformative impact of such training was highlighted by graduate Mary Lancelot, who shared her journey from porterage to self-reliance, noting that she is now equipped to train others in her community. Stakeholders at the graduation ceremony praised the graduates for their resilience and for challenging gender stereotypes in traditionally male-dominated fields like construction.

Parallel to these efforts, other organizations are targeting specific regional and educational needs. In Jana, a remote community in Northern Ghana, the Adunyame Foundation recently empowered women through soap-making and entrepreneurship training, providing start-up kits and organizing them into a cooperative for financial inclusion. Similarly, in Pokuase, the Women’s Trust celebrated a decade of its 'Akwanya' program, which offers adult literacy and vocational skills to women who missed formal education. Event chairman Samuel Gyabah and Executive Director Kafui Duho called for sustained investment in adult education, arguing that literacy is the foundation for improved livelihoods and meaningful societal engagement.

Investment in education has also extended to child welfare, with the Ghanaian NGO Challenging Heights being selected as one of 31 global recipients of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. This funding will support the renovation of a recovery center classroom for children rescued from trafficking and exploitation. The 'Inclusive Learning & Opportunity Program' will provide these children with individualized support in literacy, counseling, and creative learning, creating a safe environment for their rehabilitation. These combined efforts from the UNFPA, local foundations, and international donors reflect a growing national commitment to using education and vocational skills as primary tools for combating unemployment, poverty, and exploitation across Ghana.