SEEV-Ghana organizes capacity building program for Women with Disabilities

Seed for Economic Empowerment of the Vulnerable (SEEV-Ghana), a non-governmental organisation, has organised a two-month capacity building programme in basket weaving for Women with Disabilities (WWDs) in the Upper East Region.
The Project, dubbed “Strengthening the Capacity of Women with Disabilities through entrepreneurship training and innovative basket weaving skills,” was sponsored by the Abilis Foundation of Helsinki-Finland.

Fifty beneficiaries drawn from the Bolgatanga Municipality and its environs were taught innovative methods of basket weaving using plastic waste polythene bags as raw materials that would contribute to environmental cleanliness.
They were also taught business management and records keeping skills.
The objective of the project was to increase the productive capacity of Women with Disabilities (WWDs) to produce quality and modern baskets that meet international standards, to increase the competitiveness and marketability of basket products and also increase their income levels.

Speaking at the end of the training, the Programmes Manager of SEEV-Ghana, Mr Robert Basumah, said the NGO had been working with a number of WWDs involved in basket weaving since in 2012.
He said WWDs were mostly discriminated against in the region because of their low economic standards.
“Women with disabilities are predominantly side-lined in most activities in their communities. They are perceived to be dependent on their relatives and marriage is even a problem since men think they will be a burden on them”.

He said the inability of women to use modern and innovative skills to add value to the products and manage their businesses professionally did not make their products competitive on the local and international markets, leaving the lucrative basket weaving industry redundant and less rewarding for WWDs.

“As a result, the members were not able to compete favourably especially on the national and international markets. This situation impacts negatively on the product and income levels of these women whose role in the upkeep of the house-hold and community is very significant.”
He said supporting women in that direction meant transforming their lives, their children’s access to education, health and nutrition.
GNA

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