Bridgewater Project provides accommodation for 'kayayes'

The 'Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater Project' has provided a residential apartment for 5 'kayayei' nursing mothers at Nima-441, a suburb of Accra.

The accommodation, which comes with a TV set and a refrigerator is meant to support the livelihood empowerment aspect of the project.

Housing 'Kayayei' is part of the core objectives of the organization to ensure the safety and well-being of female porters.

This is because they mostly sleep in the open and are exposed to social dangers, such as rape and defilement by some unscrupulous men.

It was in this light that Mr. Yahaya Alhassan, the founder of Kunata Voluntary Organization, the NGO that operates the Pamela Bridgewater appealed to President Nana Akufo Addo, and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to allocate the government's vacant land, right behind Accra Girls Snr. High School at 'Kaokudi junction', in Ayawaso north municipality for the construction of a kayayei house to accommodate such vulnerable women.

In a letter dated 11th October 2020 to the Presidency, Mr. Alhassan wrote: ‘This is a girl-child appeal and a humanitarian call to provide shelter and protection for kayayei’.

He continued, ‘We shall be grateful for your approved directives for the request to facilitate the construction of the three-story building complex. The facility would have a vocational, and health unit ‘.The statement added.

The Bridgewater project seeks to provide future and welfare to disadvantaged girls particularly head porters through education and training, advocacy, protection, research and so on.