BY: GODFRED ANKU KAALI
In a move to boost youth empowerment within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has donated GH¢50,000 to support a skills training programme spearheaded by the Amagyei Foundation.
The donation was made when management and some trainees of the foundation paid a courtesy call on the Okyenhene at his palace at Kyebi, in the Abuakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region. The aim of the visit was to showcase products made by the trainees to the Okyenhene and seek his support in expanding the initiative to other communities in Akyem Abuakwa.
The Amagyei Foundation was established as the corporate social responsibility wing of the Amagyei Legal Firm to provide legal aid, advocacy, literacy training, mediation services, and skills development for underserved communities. The foundation is affiliated with the Ghana TVET Service.
In its initial skill training exercise, the foundation equipped 85 people from Akyem-Maase with hands-on skills in producing various household and beauty products such as liquid soap, bleach, shea butter body cream, shower gel, laundry bar soap, hair shampoo, and wig hair oil, among others.
The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, commended the foundation for its efforts in empowering local youth and improving livelihoods. He pledged his continued support for its initiatives and emphasized the importance of affluent members of society returning to their roots to create opportunities for others, stressing that a person’s place of birth should not determine his or her economic prospects.
“Countries are built by people building communities and going back home. Our children need help, nobody has gone anywhere or done anything without opportunity. What rural folks need is a chance and opportunity to grow. The geography of birth should not deny any child the chance to grow economically well,” he said.
The Managing Attorney of Amagyei Law Firm and founder of the Amagyei Foundation, Lawyer Ofosua Amagyei observed that individuals who undergo the skills training are also educated in marketing, branding, sales, customer service, and business registration among others. She expressed hope of constructing a training centre for the foundation to aid the training of beneficiaries.
“We are seeking to help the youth within the ages of 16 to 45. Apart from training them in the products, we have also trained them in marketing, branding, sales, and customer service, and how to register their companies. We are also seeking to help setup a number of them to enable grow their business. We are hoping and praying we will be able to establish a permanent structure so that we will conduct our trainings there”. She said.
All products made under the initiative meet required standards and are approved by both the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
