The Australian High Commission in Ghana, through its Direct Aid Programme, has supported the Coalition for Change (C4C), a non-governmental organization, to empower communities through capacity building.

The 6,500 Australian-dollar project would be used to build capacity of community members including parent, teachers associations and school management committees, women farmers and women farmer-based organisations as well as the youth.

The project, christened “TARGET 100: Skills Training and Livestock Rearing for 100 Women Rural Farmers in Upper West Region”, would be implemented in the Lambussie-Karni, Lawra, Wa West, Jirapa, Sissala West and Sissala East districts of the Upper West Region.

Madam Ruby Yap, Executive Director of C4C, told the GNA in an interview that the project was geared towards empowering parents, especially women who are dominantly farmers and impacted by cultural practices of a patriarchal society.

She said the project would also help create rural opportunities geared towards increasing incomes based on the needs of the women farmer groups to improve and support their families and children in school through sustainable agriculture and income generating activities.

“Giving women economic opportunity will empower them to provide healthy and nutritious food to their children and can easily access health care for themselves and their families,” Mad yap said.

She said C4C was piloting the project to 100 women farmers, age between 20 and 65 years, who are subsistence farmers.

Skills training such as soap making, pomade making, soya utilization, rabbit rearing and tie and dye making would be provided to the women to support their income levels and for them to have access to health care and education for their children.

“We really appreciate the Australian High Commission in Ghana for the trust and confidence and rest assured that the assistance will be given to the rightful beneficiaries,” Mad Yap said.

The C4C champions quality basic education, promotion of gender equality and social inclusiveness, women empowerment, and secure livelihood, as well as youth development, nutrition and health in Ghana.

The NGO also envisioned having an empowered society that aims to build and strengthen sustainable individual family, institutional and community initiatives to meet their basic needs.