Regional News of Monday, 28 July 2003

Source: GNA

Christian NGO to offer free vocational training to widows and widowers

Sunyani, July 28, GNA - Christ Universal Evangelism Network (CUEN), a Sunyani-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) is to offer free training in various vocations to widows and widowers to help improve their living conditions.

The organization would initially train about 160 widows and six widowers in batik, tie-and-dye, snail farming, soap making and beekeeping, Evangelist David Thomas Aboagye-Mensah, the founder said at the weekend. Addressing a meeting with members of the Widows and Widowers Association of Ghana, Evangelist Aboagye-Mensah said the Association's aimed was to fight existing inhuman and obsolete rites and cultural practices relating to widows and widowers.

It was also formed to bring members together as a united body with strength, effort and power to fulfil the teachings in the Bible. Evangelist Aboagye-Mensah said the Association was non-partisan and appealed to other NGOs and donor agencies to support the creation of an endowment fund for widows and widowers.

He added that the Association would initially be operated in the Brong-Ahafo Region and later, branches would be opened in other parts of the country.

Evangelist Aboagye-Mensah said the Association would seek legislation in Parliament for the abolition of outmoded rites performed by widows, saying time was ripe for the nation to adopt modern customs.