Summary

During my first two weeks in Ghana, I have been able to witness firsthand the incredible work that AFAWI do and the reach they have to women and girls. I have been lucky enough to meet some of the women who benefit from their work by taking part in training sessions, loan disbursement sessions and evaluation assessments. Being able to speak to them at their small businesses and understand how vital the loans have been for them is something I won't forget. The instantaneous and resounding 'no' each woman has provided, when I asked if they regretted taking the loan, is a clear testament to the success of the Livelihood Project.

AFAWI has managed to provide so many loans this year already, however, there are so many women eager to be supported in their businesses who are yet to be reached. The AFAWI team has also provided important training on financial literacy, business planning, and health subjects including malaria, HIV/AIDS, and menopause.

I would like to help further by asking you to donate what you can to help the team continue to empower more women to becoming economically independent. Your donation will go towards the funding pot for the credit at the end of my time here - I will transfer the donations to AFAWI at the end of my time here in early August. Each week I will update with my highlights of the working week so you continue to get an insight!

Scroll further down for more information on AFAWI and the Livelihood project specifically. Please do get in touch if you want to understand further about any of the AFAWI projects or other ways you can support.

Www.afawigh.org/livelihood

Highlights

Week 1 - Meeting the team and being able to witness a huge donation of re-usable pads. The donation was so big that they will be able to help up to 200 girls in the area! Also, watching women in the Abokobi region receive their funding and seeing their happiness firsthand.

Week 2 - Being out in the field, speaking to some of the recipients of the loans, at their businesses, to see whether they have benefitted and how we can improve! On Friday, I was able to show a few of the AFAWI team some basic excel hints and tips!

Week 3 - was welcomed by a group of 62 ladies in Afienya to give a training on HIV and family planning! On Friday we went to survey some girls at a school about re-usable pads and afterwards one came up to me to ask if we can be pen pals!

Week 4 - Travelling to Anloga (on the coast!) and meeting a completely new group of women who were interested in the funding of AFAWI.

Week 5 - Handing over all of the templates and document improvements I've made to the team!

Background of AFAWI

The Alliance for African Women Initiative (AFAWI) is a grassroots Ghanaian non-governmental organization, whose employees have been supporting needy women and children in Ghana through numerous projects for over seventeen years. The organization was founded in 2006 by a Ghanaian Philip Kwesi Agyei, with the aim of fighting the social stigmatisation of people affected by HIV/AIDS, through local involvement. Through a culturally sensitive approach and the creation of local jobs, the projects have been expanded over the years. Today AFAWI revolves around the issues of gender equality, targeted support for women and girls, and the realisation of basic human rights, such as the right to a life in dignity, education and health.

Livelihood Project The Livelihood Project seeks to empower women by providing the necessary tools for them to start or grow their own businesses, so they may build a bright future for themselves and their families. The participants are provided with small loans with a low interest rate and further saving accounts for the future, combined with a networking platform and on-going business workshops and training in the fields of financial literacy, health and gender responsiveness.