GYIC launches Skills4Inclusion to empower returnees, PWDs in Sunyani

The Global Youth Innovation Center (GYIC) has launched the Skills4Inclusion Project in Sunyani to promote economic empowerment and social inclusion among returnees and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Funded by the German Sparkassenstiftung Western Africa on behalf of the Ghanaian-European Centre for Jobs, Migration and Development (BMZ), with support from the European Union and implemented by GIZ, the project provides market-relevant vocational training and enterprise development.

A total of 50 beneficiaries – 30 women with disabilities and 20 returnees – are undergoing a month-long training in skills such as baking, soap and detergent production, cosmetology, and bead making.

GYIC Executive Director Eric Annorey said the initiative also engages 20 community stakeholders, including artisans, local authorities, and traditional leaders, to strengthen reintegration systems, mentorship, and long-term community support.

Community-driven
He emphasized that the project relies on community-driven approaches and partnerships with institutions such as the Department of Social Welfare and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations to ensure sustainability.

Participants will also receive training in digital marketing and financial literacy to support business growth.

Present at the ceremony were the Bono Regional Labour Officer, Mr. Charles Baah; the Sunyani Municipal Planning Officer, Mr. Samuel Kofi Adagbodzo; the Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Madam Belinda Osei-Mensah and an Official of GIZ, Madam Lillian.

They all took turns to encourage the beneficiaries to take the training seriously, highlighting its potential to improve their livelihoods.

Global Youth Innovation Council (GYIC) is an independent, youth-led Ghanaian organization committed to empowering young people across the world to become innovators, leaders, and active contributors to sustainable development.

GYIC works to bridge the gap between ideas and action by equipping youth with the tools, networks, and opportunities to address global challenges such as climate change, inequality, unemployment, and poor governance.