Social welfare department supporting growth of women in Kasoa

Many women suffer day and night in their homes due to their vulnerability to gain sustainable employment.

Financial instability continues to break homes, affect the education and wellbeing of children especially girls in societies.

But Director at the Department of Social Welfare of the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly (ASEMA), Mr. Wisdom Yaw Badjessah, believed that when women are resourced the lives of many families would improve.

Ali Fuseina, a hawker with six children once worked with her sister at Ofaakor in a 'fula' hawking business until the social welfare department of ASEMA came to her aid and supported her to establish herself.

“Selling for my sister although it helped kept the home running establishing mine had really improved life for me and my family. They provided me with all the equipment needed and items to start my business including bowls, milk, sugar, pepper and everything,” Fuseina stated.

Fuseina, lives together with her husband but the husband is incapacitated and unable to engage in a profession or trade because of a disability in one arm after involving in an accident whiles working as a fuel tanker driver far away in Saudi Arabia, and now back home dependent on his wife.

Fuseina said life was tough and difficult for her to fend for her family until the social welfare supported her to set up her own 'fula' business, a local drink.

According to Fuseina, her children had dropped out of school but with the support from the social welfare she was able to send them back. However, due to the short while stay at home one of the children had completely stopped schooling whilst another had to engage in a vocation as an apprentice.

“When I didn’t have my own business the children were home without education but with their help now they are able to go to school, and I’m grateful to God because before I used to buy food on credit to feed the children but now life had improved compared to then because I’m able to fend for my family and myself” she stated.

In spite of the improvement however, Fuseina’s capital had begun dwindling due to high prices of goods and services in recent times. She said she had stopped buying the items in bulk and now resorted to retail prices and that had affected their living once again making life a bit unbearable.

“But I continue to work with the little resources available to continue providing for the family. I am very grateful for the help from the social welfare because their assistance had improved my life,” she said.

Jibril Abdul Razak, husband of Fuseina, who had travelled to seek greener pastures to fend for his family said he had no choice but to come back home seven months after the accident due to his condition.

According to him, after the accident in the desert far in the Middle East of Saudi Arabia the insurance company had informed him he will be paid through his agent.

However, after his return to Ghana, the agent told him the insurance company refused to pay because he had left for Ghana.

“I live everything to God because I know he is the helper of men and will make a way someday. I’m however grateful that my wife is able and taking care of the family’s upkeep and their education" he said.

Helena Yenzu, a fante Kenkey seller narrates how the social welfare department assisted her when her husband left her alone with their children.

According to her, the husband abandoned his responsibility of taking care of her and the children when a misunderstanding ensued between them.

She said, she approached the social welfare department and was assisted with seed money to restart her kenkey business and had since been surviving on that.

However, due to the high cost of goods, she is unable to meet the demand of her customers and hopes for some more assistance to expand her business. Although the husband is back but unable to support the growth of the business there is peace at home.

The United Nations Women state that “When more women work, economies grow. Women’s economic empowerment boosts productivity, increases economic diversification and income equality.”

In addition increases women’s and girls’ educational attainment and that contributes to women’s economic empowerment and more inclusive economic growth.

Municipal Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, Mr. Wisdom Yaw Badjessah, in an interview with this reporter said the department receives numerous cases of vulnerable women on a regular basis, however, finds a way to assist them.

He said although the department is not mandated to directly solicit for funds to undertake such charitable projects, a social media influencer and an employee of the welfare department who solicits public funds for her projects assist in cases such as that of Ali Fuseina and Helena Yenzu.

He said there are a lot of women, who require assistance to change the status quo of their economic woes and improve the lives of their families and community however, are deprived.

“If such cases don’t come out one wouldn’t know but indeed there are a lot of women who are hard working especially within this environment but are faced with financial problems, and so when we are able to set them up they are able to chunk some successes, like this fula woman for instance you can see she had been able to expand her business, so if they are other people who can assist one way or the other not to our department per se but individual women out there.

“….if women are well-resourced financially, I think there will be a kind of peace within our families, the kenkey woman for instance the husband had left her and the children so when she came we quickly mobilized and now she is doing well,” he stated.