The Christians Children Fund of Canada (CCFC), an NGO has appealed to women particularly those in active economic activities to pursue their businesses with determination so that their efforts would yield positive dividends.

Mrs Gifty Akosua Baka, Country Director of CCFC observed that many women had the capacity to transform their lives through economically viable activities but expressed regret that lack of capital hampered their efforts.

She said CCFC had supported communities with credit facilities for small businesses as a way of empowering women.

Addressing International Women’s Day celebration in Tamale Mrs Baka said under the Micro-enterprise Development Programme of the CCFC, about 80 per cent of the targets are women so that the benefits trickle down to their children.

She urged women to organise themselves into cooperative credit groups to improve the amount of resources at their disposal.

Mrs Baka observed that there had been a number of interesting success stories including women who had teamed up to acquire tractors and expanded their businesses.

She said the CCFC had introduced a Child Protection Programme in collaboration with UNICEF and is yielding dividends particularly in the Saboba District where teenage pregnancy, early marriages which used to be very rife are reducing.

The NGO is working in 75 communities covering 13 districts in the Norther Region, which she said the intervention is increasing the number of girls in school.