A Helping Hand Bears Fruits

It is one thing to have the knowledge, and another to have the resources to make that knowledge work.
When Bongo Area Development Programme (ADP) presented equipment and materials to 23 graduating Youth Skill Training Programme (YSTP) students, the aim was to see them properly settled in their communities and earning a living.
The donation - which totaled about 3400 Ghana cedis (US$4,250) - was given along with a cash injection of 50 Ghana cedis (US$62). Now, as we go back to see how some of the graduates are faring, the benefits are obvious.
One of the beneficiaries is Philomina Ayipaala. The 20 ­year-old is doing well in her weaving business in Bongo and is helping train others for their future careers.
After receiving a loom with accessories. some yarn and some cash from Bongo ADP, she decided to set up her shop in Bongo to earn a living. The shop, which she shares with her mum, is situated just a stone's throwaway from the ADP office. She has on sale in her shop beautiful designs of hand woven cloth for those who can afford.
"I want to thank my sponsors for helping me to complete ATMA weaving centre and to acquire a skill. If it were not for their kindness, I would have ended up somewhere down south as a kayaayoo (head porter). But now I am getting an income for myself." she says.
Philomina has also taken on an apprentice to train free of charge. Benedicta Atanga was also a Youth Skill Ttraining Programme YSTP) student but could not .complete her training because of pregnancy. She dropped out. but after' giving birth to a child, decided to join Philomina to finish her training.
"I must thank Philomina for accepting to take me on as an apprentice even though she just started. Now I hope to complete my weaving course with her," says Benedicta
Philomina says she hopes to train five girls each year but complains about accommodation. "Accomodation is a problem here. My shop is too small to take on additional trainees. I share the place with my mother. Again, marketing is my number one problem. The market here is not yet established," she says.
Twenty- five-year-oId Regina Aura is another YSTP beneficiary who is doing well. She is currently running a canteen at the Catholic Social Centre in Bongo. After undergoing a rigorous selection process, she was selected to run the canteen because of the training in catering services she got from the Women's Training Institute in Bolgatanga. She has been running the canteen for the past 4 months. She operates the canteen from Monday to Saturday. For her menu, she has Banku and Tuo Zaafi (maize meals), rice balls, rice with stew and light soup for sale. According to her, she plans to include Fufu (pounded yam), plantain with beans and yam to her menu in the future.
"I am able to sustain the business with the profit I make daily. I am able to make in a good day about 30% profit. My customers mostly come from workers of the District Assembly who patronise my meals," Regina reveals.
Regina also has two girls under her tutelage. They are 25-year-old Azumah Adongo and 16-year-old Ama Ayolo who have come to learn catering to secure their future. "We have come to learn how to cook. When we finish, we will also start our own businesses and train others to become like us," they say. .