Unilever invests 70,000 Ghana cedis to empower women

Tema, Oct 27, GNA - The Unilever Ghana Foundation has invested 70,000 Ghana cedis in its Women Empowerment Programmes (WEPs), Mr Andrew Evans Quayson, Chairman of the Foundation, has said. He said this on Tuesday at the Foundation's Excellence Award ceremony for eight female graduates selected from public tertiary institutions, said 455 women had benefited from the programme. The Award is given to female students of public universities and polytechnics who are adjudged the best graduates by their institutions. Each of the award winners, the best female graduates for the 2008-09 academic year, received a certificate of recognition, Unilever products and cash. Mr Quayson said the women had been sponsored to undergo entrepreneurial skills training in small and medium enterprises in semi-urban areas. He said the Foundation's focus was on health and hygiene and that in collaboration with the Water Aid Ghana, some deprived communities have been provided with potable water. He said the Foundation had done so in nine communities in the northern regions, and three communities in the Sene District of the Brong-Ahafo Region. Mr Quayson said a water system and public place of convenience to serve seven communities were being constructed in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region. He said the Foundation's investment in the provision of good-drinking water would cost 30,000 Ghana Cedis when the Birim North project is completed in March next year. 27 Oct 10