Training in Fashion Design & Dressmaking or Bread & Pastry Making for teenage mothers, who could not complete or further their education and expressed their interest in the topics. The training involves an internship at Eunice Adusei Enterprise, a fashion designing and dressmaking company. In this way the girls learn professional skills by doing. After 24 months, the trainees can choose to work with the company or to start their own business.

School closings in 2020 – due to COVID – and alarming youth unemployment rates in Ghana, leaves especially young females living below poverty line in an even more vulnerable position. The situation attributed to a rise of pregnancies among 10-to-19-year-old girls. In the Ashanti Region 17,802 teen pregnancies were reported.

Whereas the informal sector is the major employee of working youth, there is no specific training centre or curriculum for that. Therefor the project wants to offer this in partnership with Eunice Adusei Enterprise.

10 teenage mothers (aged 15-20 years) will gain professional, entrepreneurship and leadership skills.

After completion of the 24-months Workplace Experience Learning programme they are offered a job. This will enable them to earn immediate income until they can start their own businesses. Economic independence for young women is vital for their own health and wellbeing, as it is for their children.

In two years’ time the trainees obtained employment or started their own business. That means that their family members benefit from an increased income to overcome poverty and thus for the provision of basic household consumption needs.

Longer-term, successful businesses will recruit new employees.

The budget for the following activities is GHs 37,000 (or €5,284). The donation will be used to:

• School fees and related costs for the 10 girls to be in training for 12 months (around €2000).
• 10 sewing machines and their maintenance (around €3000).
• 5% to iMPACT direct for facilitating direct donations to local solutions (which helps to cover costs of the website, promotion and proposal writing, costs if financial services and the support to NGOs).

Own contributions:

• Pinasol will also contribute GHs 28,000 (or €4000) for training the young ladies in Bread & Pastry Making, to purchase flour and other ingredients, and for the payment of the trainees’ stipends.
• The trainees’ children will be registered under the Pinasol Child and Family Sponsorship programme to receive support to enable the mothers to learn their occupation.
• The trainees’ parents or guardians agreed and will sign consent to continuously support the girls with in-kind support like food, child care etc so they can concentrate on their education.
• Furthermore, Pinasol has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Eunice Adusei Enterprise to train the youth in fashion designing.

*See picture of the CEO of Eunice Adusei Enterprise below on the far right.