Accra, June,24, GNA- Over 30 Head Porters locally known as (kayaye) have undergone a two-day training programme on gender and sexual based violence and adolescent development as a way of ending child marriage in Ghana and changing lives and communities.
It was organised by Purim African Youth Development Platform (PAYDP), one of the leading non-governmental organisation in Ghana in collaboration with the United Nations Populations Fund (UNPFA), on the theme « Provision of Integrated Legal Literacy, Livelihood Skills Training and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Services for Female Head Porters ».
Madam Edna Yeboah, the Programmes Officer for PAYDP in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said it was for selected “Kayaye” who would go out to give education to their peers.
She said most of these females had been trained years back so the training was a refresher on what they had learnt previously and to give an insight to the new ones who would also go out for advocacy.
« This is a chance for them to refresh their minds and for those who do not know that much, it is a time for them to learn. We decided to add the orange girls’ network to the training who would be going out for advocacy as well and we believe that it is a chance for them to also learn more. »
Madam Abena Narkie Nartey, a Public Health Nurse and facilitator of the training who took the trainees through the stages of adolescent development said, the young individuals found it difficult in taking decisions at this stage hence the need to educate them more to help them stand the challenges they go through.
« These individuals go through lots of challenges, menstruation, peer influence and the likes so I think we should organise more of this training to curb the rate at which these girls are being influenced. »
Madam Eyram Parkoo, who works with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Ningo Prampram District and facilitator of the Orange Girls Network also took the girls through adolescent development and personal hygiene.
According to her, the reason for the training of these young individuals was for them to be advocates in their communities because of the influence they have on their peers.
« So, with training the adolescents, they listen to their peers and anything their peers tell them, that is what they take so with the collaboration with PAYDP we decided to train them to educate their peers on sexual reproductive health issues, personal hygiene, STI’s and nutrition. »
Some Kayaye’s who have benefited from this training shared their excitement and thanked PAYDP and UNFPA for bringing this policy as it would go a long way to change their lives.
The refresher course, which is organised every three months take place in five areas in the country. They are Bongo, Walewale, Techiman, Kumasi and Accra.