Naada Bilijo Jinapor, wife of Damongo Member of Parliament Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has opened a skills training centre at Yipala to equip young people and women with vocational skills for self-employment and financial independence.
The facility, established by the Naada Jinapor Foundation, offers training in hairdressing, tailoring, bead making, Northern Kente weaving and soap making, providing residents with opportunities to acquire practical skills to establish their own businesses and generate income.
Speaking at the opening on October 11, which coincided with the International Day of the Girl Child, Mrs Jinapor said the centre was established as part of her commitment to giving back to the community.
“We officially opened the Skills Training Centre in Damongo as part of our commitment to giving back to the community,” she said.
“Our vision is simple: to provide a welcoming and conducive environment where anyone willing to learn a skill can do so.”
She said the facility was open to all and expressed the hope that beneficiaries would use the skills acquired to improve their livelihoods and secure their financial futures.
“My greatest hope is that the skills acquired here will empower individuals to earn a decent living, become financially independent and build better futures for themselves and their families,” Mrs Jinapor said.
The centre is expected to provide residents of Yipala and surrounding communities with access to vocational training, particularly young people who may have limited opportunities to acquire practical skills.
The initiative also seeks to create alternative pathways to employment by equipping beneficiaries with skills they can use to establish small businesses rather than depend solely on scarce formal employment opportunities.
For young women, the facility presents an opportunity to acquire marketable skills, generate income and contribute to their households’ economic wellbeing.
Mrs Jinapor said the timing of the opening made the initiative particularly significant, given the need to expand opportunities for girls to develop their abilities and pursue their aspirations.
“Opening this centre on International Day of the Girl Child made it even more meaningful. It is a reminder of the importance of giving every girl the opportunity to learn, grow and realise her potential,” she said.
She expressed the hope that the centre would become a platform for developing skills and improving livelihoods in the beneficiary communities.
“May this centre become a place where skills are nurtured, dreams take shape and livelihoods are transformed,” she added.
The Yipala facility is not the foundation’s first skills development intervention in the Damongo constituency. Mrs Jinapor has previously undertaken a similar project in the Apilso Electoral Area.
Beyond equipping individuals with vocational skills, the centre could stimulate economic activity in Yipala and neighbouring communities by creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and, potentially, employment for others.
The foundation’s intervention is aimed at helping young people and women translate practical skills into sustainable livelihoods, achieve greater financial independence and contribute to the development of their communities.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
