Conflict Resolution through SoCCs
The Wawase SoCCs community in the Afigya Kwabre district has a current membership of 38 women managed by the SoCCs program officers and Madam Doris Asamoah and Madam Abenaa Donkor, elected leaders of the group.
On the 20th of November, 2016 during the community’s monthly a report was received on an existing misunderstanding between Madam Doris and Madam Abenaa which had translated into poorly organized meetings and inconsistent clean-ups. The program officer opened a platform for both leaders to express their concerns after listening to both leader’s concerns and the opinions of the other members on the issue, the program officer offered his advice and suggested that the leaders let go of the issue, both leaders accepted the advice, apologized to each other and promised to work in harmony for the benefit community.
During the following month’s business meeting, the program officer noticed both leaders were seated together, joyfully chatting and also, on enquiring, the program officer also found out that the preparatory meeting prior to undertaking a clean-up exercise which was brought to a halt during the period of conflict has been commenced. Below is a group photo taken after the issue had been settled.
First clean-up exercise in the Aduamoa Community
As mentioned before, all communities in the SoCCs program participated in clean-up activities in their respective communities.
What sets the first clean-up exercise of the Aduamoa group (consisting of 19 women) apart from the rest is the commitment they showed towards the activity and the amount of work they were able to do in just one day.
Political Talk with the SoCCs women of the Bantama Community
2016 is the year Ghana will elect a new president. As such, it is important for every Ghanaian, including our women, to understand the various processes that occur during this period as well as what to look out for from aspiring presidential and parliamentary candidates. Thus, on the 28th of September 2016, a political talk was organized and facilitated by the SoCCs program officers and the executive director of WHW. A total of 54 women attended this meeting.
Health Talk with the SoCCs women of the Bantama Community
The SoCCs program in 2016 had a special persistence and promotion of good health and sanitation amongst its participating communities. For the Bantama community, this was even more important as the women stated that, aside from the regular clean-up exercises, they would also like to have regular visits from a variety of health personnel to give them advice on diet, dental health etc. As such, a health talk is organized every other month and the first talk was done on the 29th of March, 2016.
Bare or Covered?
By Akosua Afriyie Boakye
This is an ambiguous phrase that calls to mind many scenarios; the good, bad and ugly…. making one wonder exactly what is meant or was meant by its user. In the case of Akua Blessing, a form one student of Amanchia District Authority Junior High School in the Atwima Nwabiagya district of the Ashanti region in Ghana, it concerned a pair of rubber sandals, a pair of torn leather sandals and her bare feet.
On the 27TH May, 2016 during delivery of orange seedlings to the WHW Girls Club, I saw that all club members as well as students of Amanchia D/A were neatly dressed in clean uniforms, white socks and sandals. One student stood out! She was dressed in a clean and well-ironed uniform, with her hair combed neatly BUT had no shoes. Class mates giggled and teased as they passed by her while others smiled and patted her arm or shoulder in sympathy.
Upon enquiry, it was revealed that, Blessing had worn black flip flops locally referred to as Charlie Wote to school that morning, because her only pair of well-worn sandals had come apart the previous night before while cleaning it for school. However, it is against the school regulations to wear Charlie wote to school and the pair of flip flops had been seized in accordance with the school rule and poor Akua now had to go barefoot as she had no acceptable foot wear to put on even if she went back home.
Akua lost her Charlie wote and had to bear the shame and humiliation of walking barefoot on the rough stony compound and being tagged as a disobedient student.
Fortunately for Akua, WHW provided a new pair of approved sandals and so she did not have to go through the humiliation of walking barefoot for days, weeks or even months on end.
Food for thought
Knowing full well the implications of her actions that fateful morning as Akua set off to school, her desire for an education with a better future at all costs, made her do the unthinkable….
One cannot help but wonder,
- How many more Akua Blessings are in communities outside the operational areas of WHW?
- How long can these young ladies keep up with the taunts of their peers and community members for lack of one need or the other in seeking to make a better future for themselves and posterity through education?
[PHOTOS] Health Screening Santasi Market
[PHOTOS] Health Screening at Atia Kotei
