The Department of Social Welfare and Community Development of the Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly has organised a skills development programme for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) as part of efforts to promote economic empowerment, self-reliance and inclusive development in the district.
The training, held at the premises of the Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly, brought together PWDs from various communities across the district, including persons who are deaf, physically challenged and visually impaired, as well as caregivers.
The beneficiaries were trained in pastry production, fresh yoghurt production and snail rearing practical skills identified as having the potential to provide sustainable sources of income when properly developed into businesses.
Speaking at the programme, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mrs Grace Agyemang Asamoah, encouraged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously and put the knowledge acquired into practice to improve their livelihoods.
She urged them not to return home and abandon the skills they had acquired, but rather to work hard and turn their newly acquired knowledge into viable businesses.
“Do not go back home and sleep on the training you have received. Go and work hard to improve your life,” she admonished.
Mrs Asamoah further encouraged the beneficiaries to extend the knowledge and skills acquired to other people within their communities. She noted that empowering others would help create more livelihood opportunities and contribute to reducing poverty at the community level.
The DCE reaffirmed government’s commitment to empowering Persons with Disabilities through skills training and other interventions aimed at creating equal opportunities for all.
She stressed that disability should not be a barrier to economic participation and development, reiterating the principle that “disability is not inability.”
The District Social Welfare Officer, Mrs Hannah Yeboah, expressed confidence that the initiative would go a long way to improve the lives of the beneficiaries.
She explained that persons with different forms of disabilities were deliberately included in the programme to ensure that the intervention reached a broad spectrum of PWDs within the district.
Madam Hannah Yeboah said the Department would continue to support initiatives that equip PWDs with practical skills capable of helping them become economically independent.
The Chairman of the Ghana Society for Persons with Disability, Atwima Kwanwoma Chapter, Mr Yaw Nsafoa, also urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the training and turn their skills into income-generating ventures.
Mr Nsafoa noted that the businesses introduced to the beneficiaries were not too expensive to start, and therefore encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity and work hard to make the ventures successful.
“It is not too expensive, so I urge all of you to work hard and make it a business that will support your lives,” Mr Nsafoa added.
He further advised the beneficiaries to consult the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development whenever they needed guidance or assistance in applying the skills acquired.
The programme forms part of the Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly’s broader efforts to promote social inclusion, reduce poverty and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
The Assembly believes that with the right skills, determination and support, PWDs can become economically productive and contribute significantly to the development of their families and communities.
