Jahadze, March 8, GNA - Rescue Foundation Ghana (RFC) a non-governmental organisation, has initiated a number of capacity building and economic ventures to assist women at Jahadze near Winneba. So far, 110 people in the community have been trained in gender sensitisation, leadership and entrepreneurship, Mrs Sylvia Henson-Ekoln, Executive Director of RFG, has said.

She said the organisation in conjunction with a Canadian NGO, MATCH International, has also launched a gari-processing project in the farming community in the Effutu Traditional area.

Speaking on the theme 'Emancipating Women Through Sensitisation and Capacity Building for Sustainable Development" at a durbar to launch the project, Mrs Henson Ekoln said the vision of the organisation was to create an environment for the growth and development of the potential of children and women.

She pointed out that the organisation needed books to help the people to develop their talents to enable them to lead comfortable and productive life styles.

Apart from the training programme RFG has constructed a community library and provided schools children in the community with uniforms, books and a computer to promote education in the area, the Executive Director said.

She said some students of the University of Education, Winneba, had also benefited from a special training programme on gender issues initiated by RFG.

Mrs Henson Eklon said with the support of other NGOs, the organisation has initiated a national crusade against child trafficking and child labour in the country.

Mrs Effe Simsson Ekuban, Director, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, expressed the satisfaction at the efforts of the Canadian NGO towards the programmes being implemented by RFG to improve the lot of women at Jahadze and other communities in the country.

Mrs Ekuban, who is a board member of Match Canada, advised the people of Jahadze to unite and work hard to sustain the project. In the speech read on his behalf Mr Solomon Kwashie Abam-Quaye, District Executive for Awutu-Effutu-Senya, stressed that the government could not fight poverty and hanger alone and called for private participation in the planning and development of rural communities. Mr Abam-Quaye said that the District Assembly was happy with the activities of the Foundation and pledged its support and cooperation. The DCE promised that the Assembly would help in the development efforts to give the town a face-lift. Mr George A Acquah, District Officer of the Department Of Social Welfare, called for support for the gari processing project to achieve its objective.

Mr Acquah expressed the hope that the establishment of the project would help curb the migration of young girls from the town to the cities in search of non-existing jobs.

Nana Heitey III, Chief of Jahadze and Gyasehene of the Effutu Traditional Area, praised the Foundation for supporting the community for the past six years and asked for God's blessings for the Directors and workers of the organisation. Certificates were presented to the 110 women who had been trained in gender sensitisation, leadership and entrepreneurship. 08 March 06