26 ‘Kayayei’ Trained In Managerial Skills2 min read
Twenty-six female head porters, popularly referred to as ‘Kayayei’, have completed a livelihood and skill training programme at the HODEM Vocational Institute in Pokuase, Accra.
During the four-week intensive training programme, the beneficiaries underwent training in financial literacy, digital financial services, gender equity, reproductive and maternal health, family life, domestic violence. They were also trained in practical skills in vocational skills which included beading, baking and soap making.
Organised by Opportunity International Savings and Loans (Opportunity International), a leading savings and loans companies in the country, the graduands were also trained in micro business starter management.
The Kayayei programme, which is the fifth in a series, is aimed at equipping economically disadvantaged young female head porters in Accra with entrepreneurial and life skills to help them develop stable livelihoods, generate income, and save for a more secure future.
Start-up kits
The programme was developed in collaboration with Kayayei Association Leaders and included individuals from Agbogbloshie, Darkuman, and Mallam Atta Market.
At the graduation ceremony, start-up kits were provided to the young girls based on their choice of specialised vocational area trained in. This is aimed at helping them to start their own small-scale enterprises after the graduation.
A Board Member and the Chairperson of the Transformation Committee of Opportunity International, who chaired the ceremony, Azara Abukari-Haroun, emphasised that Opportunity International was committed to creating a positive impact on people’s lives and encouraged the beneficiaries to feel confident about the new skills they had acquired through the programme.
The young ladies expressed their excitement and gratitude to Opportunity International for the opportunity they received and were optimistic about the success of the trade they had chosen and the immense contribution it would make towards their attainment of financial resilience.
About
The Kayayei Programme was previously funded by the Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust and the CalVal Investors Foundation. The two foundations have together supported Opportunity International to train 108 ladies in the past five years.
The programme is currently funded by the Medicor Foundation for a two years’ period with the intent to train and equip 200 economically disadvantaged young female head porters in Accra.
