Fifteen young women rescued from ritual servitude, also known as “trokosi” have graduated from the Baptist Vocational Training Institute at Frankadua in the Volta Region.

The girls, who were liberated from shrines across the region, were part of 40 students who graduated this year after completing a three-year course in catering, dressmaking, kente weaving, batik printing, hairdressing, and bead making among other things at the Institute.

They were provided with working tools and startup capital with a few being prepared to enrol in technical universities.

Rev. Yaw Oppong Ankamah, the South-East Sector Head of Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), said the girls were rescued through the intervention of the Baptist Relief and Development Agency (BREDA) of the GBC adding; “their graduation represents the fruit of our investment in our quest to fulfil the great commission in a holistic manner”.

He said education was a priority of the Church and through BREDA it would continue to support the Centre to train more less-privileged individuals by mobilising internal and external support to improve its infrastructure.

Rev. Ankaman lauded government’s intention to prioritise skills training and said vocational education was essential for a developing country like Ghana.

He urged the graduates to take advantage of government’s initiatives to improve their skills and build lasting businesses that would make positive impact on society.

Rev. Mrs Grace Akonnor, the Manageress of the Institution, said the Centre was established to propagate the gospel, discipline, and train students to be self-sufficient through the acquisition of various skills.

She said the Institute had no permanent classrooms and that students studied under unfavourable conditions on corridors, a situation which was inhibiting the enrolment of more students.

Rev. Mrs Akonnor said the Institute also lacked a school bus and an ICT centre and appealed to government and other benevolent organisations for support.

She expressed gratitude to the Pelican Prayer Missions of the United States of America and other organisations which had supported the Institute in building a rest-stop to engage graduates.

Togbe Asempa, the Regent of Frankadua, asked parents in the community to enroll their wards in the school so they could take advantage of the programmes to build a productive future.

The school has a student population of 70 of which 40 are rescued "trokosi" girls. It has graduated more than 350 students since its establishment.