Women trained in Advocacy and Networking

Women trained in Advocacy and Networking

Daily Graphic, Monday, April 7, 2008. Page 38 (News)

Representatives of 135 Women’s credit and Savings Associations operating in the catchment areas of Bawjiase programme zone of Plan Ghana and the Bawjiase Area Rural Bank, have benefited from a two-day intensive training on concepts of advocacy, networking and leadership skills.

It was jointly organised by Plan Ghana and the bank, to improve the operational capabilities of the beneficiary Credit and Saving Associations so that they could attract more hardworking women in their fold.

Topic treated by the resource persons led by Mr. Kofi Adade Debrah, Livelihood Advisor to Plan Ghana, included the concepts of advocacy and networking, the qualities of a good leader, child protection, and record keeping. The rest were drawing of action plan, drawing of constitution, lobbying for leadership positions, child abuse and trafficking.

Addressing the participants, Mrs. Amelia Allen, Southern Sector Manager of Plan Ghana, said the course was designed to equip participants with the adequate knowledge and skills to enable them play effective advocacy and leaders roles in their homes, communities and the nation as a whole. They should therefore go back to their respective associations and make their impact deeply felt. She reminded the women that it was their responsibility to use whatever they had to effectively network, as well as advocate, on issues that concerned children in their communities and protect them against all forms of abuse.

Mrs. Allen, who stood in for the Country Director of Plan Ghana, renewed the organisation’s commitment to improving the lot of children in deprived areas and advised members of the various Women’s Credit and Saving Associations in its catchment areas to make good use of financial interventions extended to them by Plan Ghana through the Awutu-Bawjiase Area Rural Bank.

She was happy that the scheme, which Plan Ghana started with the bank seven year ago, had assisted some industrious and hardworking women in the area to own houses. Mrs. Allen further counselled members of credit and savings associations who had failed to make headway in their economic pursuit after securing financial assistance from Plan Ghana, to learn from their colleagues. She said this was the time women must aspire for higher leadership position to enable them impact positively on their communities and society as a whole.

Mr. Kofi Adade Debrah was optimistic that knowledge and skills gained at the workshop would empower participants to lead their credit and savings groups to interact regularly with financial institutions and district and municipal assemblies in their areas for necessary support. It would also help them make useful suggestions and contributions towards the socio-economic development and cultural transformation of the country. Mr. Adade Debrah told participants that the act of advocacy could take place in individual homes through fruitful discussions with family and not in broader societies alone.-GNA