The participants of the programme in a group photograph
THE GOVERNMENT has been urged to prioritize economic empowerment programmes for women in the country so they (women) can actively participate in the transformational process of the country.
Country Director of Cocoa Life Programme, Yaa Peprah Amakudzi, made this appeal during the “Women Empowerment Agenda 2024” Summit, held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
According to her, the country should strategically empower its women to become economically vibrant and strong, stressing that women are crucially needed to play diverse roles to help develop the country.
The summit brought together women from different cocoa growing communities in the country, and it was aimed at empowering them in alternative means of enhancing their financial status.
Mondelez International, a cocoa chocolate processing company through its Cocoa Life Program is championing the agenda of leveraging the capacity of women, through training workshop for women in cocoa growing communities to build their livelihoods in alternative economic empowerment.
As part of the cocoa sustainable initiative, Cocoa Life is also equipping women in processing products such as soap, honey, shampoo, liquid soap among others, which will serve as alternative income support to for development.
Mrs. Amakudzi stated that, “economic empowerment is a core foundation to social and political empowerment. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all to prioritize economic empowerment of women”.
The programmes, according to her, have impacted women in cocoa growing communities, as well as provided alternative financial support for their families.
She said her outfit, over the years, has provided necessary cocoa farm assistance training to farmers, which according to her, has helped to yield more beans into the Cocoa Bank.
The Manager of Community Development at Cocoa Life, Matilda Broni, said the agenda is to help change the behavioral attitude of women.
According to her, the empowerment programmes would enhance women to face economic challenges and also initiate swift interventions to overcome their problems.
Apart from the training, she indicated that, “cocoa life has also accelerated social interventions in various cocoa farming communities across the country”.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi