In an effort to achieve the inclusion of inadequate youth representation on social accountability mechanisms that affect their access to SRMNCAH services is one objective under the activity of Global Goods Grants funded by the PAI. CIWED-GH organized an inception meeting on the 26th July 2023 at the resource center for disability inviting all project stakeholders including community level leaders (opinion and traditional leaders), state actor (health workers and district assembly officials) and some select youth to engage them, introduce the project to them, get their buy in on the new project in the district. CIWED-GH intended to know the best/most suitable implementation methods and strategies to be used to achieve the desired project results and also to know what to expect from the community members during the implementation to ensure the project is carried out successfully. At the end of the day, the various stakeholders contributed immensely and gave relevant demonstrations on how some actors have been overlooked in other projects who are spoilers and are influential enough to frustrate a project at the community and district level, this has shaped our implementation plan and strategies rolled out in the project implementation.
As part of the project activities in the WVL funded by Plan Int. Ghana, CIWED-GHANA organized a community durbar to enlighten it project communities on positive gender norms, roles and responsibilities in the Nanton District. This activity was done by the Women Leaders Network (WLN) wing of CIWED GH. The WLN used the platform to sensitize the community members on the prevention on teenage pregnancies, curbing drug abuse, preventing early child marriages and curbing youth migration to the south. The community members were encouraged to enroll their children/ward in school and provide their needs to them whenever they are in need especially the girl child. The assembly members of these communities were much impressed about the programme and made commitment form watchdogs or volunteers in their various communities to fight violence against children and also fight against drug abuse. During this meeting, the Gender and child protection officer of CIWED, Miss Bashiru Mardia shared information urging the community members to be good parents to their wards in order to prevent all the dangers mentioned and to bring out future leaders in the district. The community leaders were very happy and thanked the WLN and CIWED for the programme
As part of effort to empowered vulnerable women VSLA groups in Nanton District, under the project Funded by Plan Ghana, a Programme under WVL Project, CIWED GH on the 13th of July, 2023 undertook a practical hand on livelihood capacity building training for women in the VSLA groups in Kparigilanyili and Jihan Juri-Kukuo (JJK) communities in the Nanton District. The idea to compliment the earnings of the women was a recommendation from the first phase of the project to include livelihood activities in subsequent phases. The women were taught how to make liquid soap, cake soap, Bar Soap and “tie and dye”. This is the first cluster of the trainings and was supervised by the business advisory center of the district assembly in the person of Alhassan Fiter. In all, fifty (50) women had their capacity strengthened on the respective livelihood interventions in this training and the second cluster will be follow in the coming weeks.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of CIWED GH, Mr. Baako Abdul-Fatawu, urged the women to use the knowledge gained to supplement their existing earning streams. This he said will drastically improve their weekly contributions during their VSLA meetings. The representative of the women leaders, the Magazia of kparigilantili thanked CIWED and its partner, PLAN Ghana for the training given them. They assured the team of making good use of the knowledge gained to become financially sustainable.