Gender Ministry Explores Partnership to Support Kayayei and Vulnerable Women

Gender Ministry Looks to Improve Lives of Kayayei

and Vulnerable Women

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Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has met with the Executive Director of the OR Foundation to discuss potential collaboration on improving the welfare of kayayei and vulnerable women.

Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister for Gender, met with Liz Ricketts, the Executive Director of the OR Foundation, to explore ways to support vulnerable women, including kayayei, in Ghana. The meeting aimed to identify areas where the two parties could collaborate to improve the lives of these women.

During the meeting, Liz Ricketts outlined the Foundation's work in Accra's Kantamanto Market. She highlighted interventions focused on environmental justice, community development, and economic empowerment. The Foundation has supported more than 300 women to transition away from head-carrying through skills training, paid apprenticeships, healthcare support, and business start-up assistance.

Liz Ricketts and her team have been working hard to support vulnerable women, particularly those who engage in head-carrying. This practice can cause severe and irreversible spinal injuries. The Foundation's research found that prolonged transportation of heavy loads can lead to devastating consequences for the women.

The Mabulu Programme is one of the initiatives of the OR Foundation. It provides scholarships, vocational training, and entrepreneurship support to help women build sustainable livelihoods. A beneficiary of the programme shared her story, explaining how financial hardship forced her into head-carrying after relocating to Accra.

Dr Lartey welcomed the Foundation's holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by kayayei. She reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to supporting partnerships that align with the government's agenda of promoting women's economic empowerment, child protection, and social inclusion.

Both parties agreed to continue discussions and explore practical areas of collaboration to advance the welfare and economic empowerment of vulnerable women in Ghana.