Compassion International Inaugurates Leather Centre

By Kodjo Adams, GNA
Gomoa Gago (C/R), Aug. 31, GNA - Compassion International Ghana, an NGO in partnership with the Wesley Methodist Church in Dago in the Central Region, has inaugurated a leather work training centre for the community.

The centre is to equip the youth in the community with vocational training to reduce unemployment in the country.

The facility is part of Compassion's holistic Child Development Sponsorship Programme implemented by the Church to provide vocational training for the youth.

Mr Padmore Baffour Agyapong, Country Director of Compassion International said the organisation's cognitive outcome requires that every beneficiary of its assisted project must complete basic education and demonstrate the motivation and skills to learn and utilize at least one income generating activity.

Mr Agyapong said as part of Dago Methodist Child Development Centre contribution to achieve the cognitive outcome, the leadership of the Centre formed a creative art club in 2010 to unearth the talents of the beneficiaries.

It is also an extra curriculum activity to help the beneficiaries interact in a healthy and compassionate manner.

He said out of the creative art club, some of the members made slippers with A4 sheet and cardboard while others designed greeting cards and invitation cards.

The Country Director explained that this motivated the leaders of Dago Methodist Child Development Centre to engage a leather work trainer to train 20 interested art club members on how to make sandals and slippers with local resources in 2012.

He said the partnership started in 2009, adding that there are 353 Compassion International assisted beneficiaries in Gomoa Dago

'The partnership has helped parents to enroll their wards in school and supported with educational materials and payment of school fees.

'About 20 beneficiaries now make shoes and sandals, bags and clothes and pastries as well,' he added.

Very Reverend William Alfred Nyamekh, Resident Minister, Gomoa Dogo Wesley Methodist Church said the leadership of the Church identified that the main source of employment in the area was fishing and that persistent poor harvest of fish had resulted to low income for the past five years, making life difficult for the community.

He said caregivers and parents were not able to adequately support their children in school leading to low attendance and poor academic performance.

The Reverend Minister said the establishment of the Centre was timely since it would help address challenges faced by the youth in the community and serve as alternative source of livelihood to most of the people in the area.

'Through a goat rearing proposal funded by Compassion International Ghana 60 parents received two female goats each to rear to support the family,' he added.

He commended Compassion International for the initiative and urged other organisations to follow suit to enhance the livelihood of the vulnerable in the society.

GNA