Technical Skills Training
ABAN operates a technical skills empowerment training program. This program seeks to intervene in the lives of the vulnerable young women before they move to the streets or gets trapped in the poverty cycle. For most of these women who are already in the cycle, this program along with other soft skills training could be the break they are looking for to set themselves and their families free from poverty.
The program relies on the already existing system in Ghana called the apprenticeship training program. Through apprenticeship training in Ghana, an individual locates a master of a trade like sewing, hairdressing or catering, and pays a fee to learn from them over the course of 2-3 years. Through ABAN’s network, we have identified masters of various trades in our community and match young women in our program with a mentor. We pay the fees for these young women for the duration of their apprenticeship in the skill of their choosing so they can become either entrepreneurs or gain employment. ABAN works with seasoned entrepreneurs who already have their business running and are experienced teachers. We also help the young women achieve National Certification in their trade.
ABAN believes that a financially sound woman is an empowered woman. And an empowered woman makes sound health, educational, environmental and nutritional decision for herself, her children, her family and her community.
Life Skills Training
Our life skills training programs includes coaching our beneficiaries using the workshop approach to discuss topics that enhances their social life. These workshops are organized periodically for the young women by ABAN in collaboration with seasoned volunteer professionals and organizations that we partner with. We believe a balanced and healthy lifestyle includes topics on each of the following:
- Finance & Entrepreneurship
- Civic Education
- Moral Character
- Food & Nutrition
- Environmental Health & Safety
ACSP (ABAN Child Support Program)
The ACSP is a support program for the children living in extreme poverty and with very little or no support available to them. ABAN’s support extends to children who have lost one or both parents, children with a physical disability and children with any kind of special needs. ABAN believes all children deserves to live as children irrespective of the financial status of their families. We provide support though:
- Paying school fees and providing learning materials
- Paying for health and nutritional needs
ABAN Community Employment (ACE)
ABAN Community Employment (ACE) has two main goals:
- It is a production center to produce both ABAN and non ABAN products to finance our programs, and
- It is a source of employment and fair wages for people living within the community.
Our ACE team is responsible for manufacturing all ABAN products. Once made, these products are up for sale locally and internationally. Each product sold supports the seamstresses and tailors at ACE, the young women in our technical and life skills training program and the children on our scholarship program.
The production process at ACE is reflective of some of ABAN’s core values: opportunity, transformation, and hope. Just as ABAN’s young mothers are undergoing transformation every day, ACE transforms wasted plastic bags into lining, recycled glass into key chains and beads, and white fabric into colorful batik.