By Barbara Asempa | Project leader
Project Update (May – July 2026)
We are delighted to share encouraging progress from our vocational training programme, made possible through your generous support. Together, we continue to restore hope and create sustainable livelihoods for young women affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage and flooding.
Celebrating 13 New Catering Graduates
On 1st July 2026, we celebrated the graduation of 13 young women who successfully completed our catering and baking training programme. Their journey began in October 2025 and, although the programme experienced delays due to the need to recruit a new facilitator, we are grateful that classes resumed quickly once a qualified instructor was engaged.
The graduates completed practical training in baking a variety of products including bread, biscuits, meat pies, cakes, and other pastries. The graduation ceremony was filled with joy as family members, community leaders, and well-wishers gathered to celebrate this important milestone in the lives of these young women.
Startup Support for the Graduates
One of the greatest challenges facing vocational graduates is access to equipment needed to begin earning an income. We are therefore deeply grateful to a generous donor who provided an oven and baking accessories as startup support for the graduates.
Rather than giving the equipment to one individual, the items have been placed at our vocational training centre where all graduates can access them. This shared facility enables graduates to begin producing baked goods, generate income, build their customer base, and save towards purchasing their own equipment in the future.
This thoughtful support is helping bridge the gap between training and employment.
Growing Our Social Enterprise
We are excited to report that our vocational centre has launched its bakery social enterprise. The centre is now producing and selling fresh bread within the surrounding communities.
This initiative is creating practical opportunities for graduates to gain work experience while generating income to support the sustainability of the training programme. We have already engaged three of the newly graduated students on a part-time basis, allowing them to apply the skills they have acquired while earning an income and mentoring future trainees.
Sewing Programme Continues
Our vocational training programme continues to expand. The second batch of the sewing class has officially begun, with three new students currently enrolled and actively learning dressmaking and sewing skills.
We are also delighted to see the impact of our first sewing graduates. Several of the young women who graduated earlier this year are already using their skills to earn an income, demonstrating that vocational education is transforming lives and creating pathways to self-reliance.
Thank You
None of this would have been possible without your generosity and belief in the potential of these young women. Your support is providing more than vocational training—it is restoring dignity, building confidence, and creating opportunities for lasting economic independence.
As we continue to equip more flood-affected women with practical skills, we remain grateful for your partnership. Together, we are helping young women move from vulnerability to self-sufficiency, one life at a time.
Thank you for walking this journey with us. We look forward to sharing more success stories in the months ahead.
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