Nakori Queenmother fosters social cohesion through vocational training

The Queenmother of Nakori in the Wala Traditional Council, Pognaa Najahatu Imoru has organized a one-day skills training workshop to foster social cohesion and economically empower women in Nakori in the Wa Municipality.

The workshop, held at the weekend, brought together over 50 women, comprising both indigenous residents and Fulbe settlers.

Fulbe, a predominantly cattle herder population, is considered one of the most marginalized minority ethnic groups in Ghana.

Pognaa Imoru said her decision to include women of the Fulbe tribe in the skills training workshop is to promote social inclusion and peaceful coexistence.

She observed that the Fulbe tribe has mostly been ignored in community initiatives, which narrative she was out to change.

“Fulbe are humans too, and it is for our sake that they are here. And here, we are living together and if you are living with someone, it is not right that you exclude them in initiatives,” she said.

The training featured two vocational skills on the production of cosmetic products, including liquid soap and pomade.

Pognaa Imoru said the training was intended to provide an alternative means of livelihood for the women who are chiefly employed by seasonal farming and are out of employment every dry season.

She said the proceeds from the training, when the women put the skills to practice, would enable them to take care of their basic family needs as well as the educational needs of their children.

“During the dry season, the women have no work to do; they idle home; their children run to do ‘kayaye’, some to ‘galamsey’; simply because they lack the wherewithal to buy common ingredients for food.

“My belief is that with these skills, if one produces the soap or pomade and take it out, you will be able to make ends meet, at least for the most basic needs,” she said.

Madam Awsara Hussein, one of the participants in the training, thanked the Queen mother for training them and expressed optimism that the skills acquired would help turn their economic fortunes around for the better.

She urged her fellow participants to take optimum advantage of the training and utilize the skills for improved livelihoods.

She, however, bemoaned that lack of capital is mostly a hindrance to practising the skills and thus, called on other benevolent individuals, Non-Governmental Organizations and the government to come to their assistance.

Madam Salamatu, another participant who is a Fulbe woman, also expressed gratitude for the training, noting that it would help her make a living, especially in the dry season when means of livelihood become scarce.