Six hundred and seventy (670) more girls from 24 communities in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region are set to benefit from the Strategic Approach to Girls Education (STAGE) Project.
The Project is being implemented by the Central Regional Office of the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) in partnership with the World Education Incorporation (WEI) and funded by the UKAID.
It seeks to give the girls the needed numeracy and literacy skills for them to be able to read and write as they learn vocational skills to break the chain of abject poverty in their various communities.
More than 500 young girls in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abbrem (KEEA) district have already benefited from the project, which trains marginalized girls in Accelerated Learning Programmes (ALP).
Launching the project in the District, Mr Kofi Addo, Secretary-General (SG) of the GRCS expressed concern about how girls in deprived communities who have no basic education were left to their fate, aggravating the vicious cycle of poverty in such communities.
“Even though these girls may have dropped from school with so many reasons, they still deserve a second chance to live meaningfully in the society” he added.
He said they had collaborated with other stakeholders like the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and others to help to ensure the safety for the girls.
He urged parents to support their wards to achieve their dreams while coaching them to make the right choices, guide and be ready to support them especially with their daily upkeep for them to have the sound mind to study.
Mr John Ekow Aidoo, Regional Manager of the GRCS, said materials to kick start the project in the District were ready and it was taking effect immediately after the launch.
He encouraged beneficiaries to step up their commitments and endeavour to complete the full course with lifetime marketable skills that had the potential to transform their lives for good to ease the burden of their respective families.
“KEEA district has had its fair share and in Gomoa West, we and our partners are ready to sacrifice, we only crave your commitment and best attention” he added.
For his part, Mr John Kwame Fosu, the Regional Chairman described the initiative as free and beneficial adding that it would add value to their lives eventually.
He urged all stakeholders to take the COVID-19 safety protocols seriously to live longer to complete their course.
Nana Edu Effrim X, the Apaamanhen, said it was a blessing to have such a project implemented in the district and pledged to contribute his bit to see the project achieve its objectives and urged all others to support it