Diana Adjei
Diana Adjei, founder of Aseda Foundation, an institution that takes prostitutes off the streets and equips them with trades, is the highlight of this week’s episode of MTN Heroes of Change 2019 reality show.
For more than two decades, Diana, a beautician, has quietly moved prostitutes off the streets of Takoradi and equipped them with a trade in beauty and personal care.
She has made it a task to help ladies live a better life instead of engaging in prostitution.
Thanks to her efforts, almost 3,500 people have received one form of training or another.
Currently, she has 610 ‘masters’ in 25 different vocations who are currently training children of over 3,400 from different parts of the country.
Since the launch of the foundation, Diana has provided 90 per cent of the children the tools they need to work with? 400 sewing machines, hairdryers, tool boxes and others.
The beneficiaries supported her to build and furnish her office.
Apart from training the children, she has been able to help some of the ‘masters’ upgrade their profession with professional courses from institutions like the Takoradi Technical University (TTU), so they can pass on the right knowledge to others.
“The least of them is organising my team to visit the beaches to offer free pedicure and manicure to our fathers and mothers who fish for us for free, this is because they do not get the time to visit the salon,” she disclosed.
Diana used to train as a hairdresser and every time she closed and stepped out to a bar, she saw ladies prostituting themselves by the roadside.
“Honestly, it was disgusting to me, so one day I approached them and offered to live with them and teach them what I know for free. Some of them agreed and they followed, so I started Aseda Beauty Salon. They were very hardworking and supportive at that time as sisters, so we were able to raise something to build a small kiosk salon.
I wanted to build the sisterhood bond, so they don’t return to the streets anymore, so I decided I was going to live with them in the kiosk salon, they became fulfilled and secured, hardworking and dedicated. Since that time till now, 20 years and still counting Aseda Beauty Salon, which has been transformed into the Aseda Foundation, trains people for free,” she explained the formation of her foundation.