The World University Service of Canada (WUSC), a leading Canadian non-profit organization with funding from the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is implementing the Innovation in Non-Traditional and Vocational Education and Skills Training (INVEST) Project to support women in the Ashanti Region.
The project, which seeks to advocate for more women into the Non-Traditional Trades or sectors, has Kumasi Hive as an implementing partner in the Ashanti Region.
The project seeks to change the perceptions people have about the TVET sector describing it as dirty, not for smart or intelligent people, unfit for women, demanding, and a male-dominated field, thus preventing women from venturing into the field.
As part of the demands of the project which is a five-year-long project, the team from Kumasi Hive will be handling the advocacy campaigns for a period of one year to sensitize the people within five selected communities which include Tafo, Suame, Krofrom, Kwadaso, and Kentinkrono, targeting schools, churches, families, associations, media houses, organizations in TVET, but to mention a few.
The three thematic areas this project focuses on are;
1. Strengthening existing apprenticeship programs and expanding opportunities for young girls to access formal and informal apprenticeship programs through institutions and the private sector;
- Enticing private sector to support young women’s entry into the sector and building the business acumen of female graduates and entrepreneurs and;
- Outreach and sensitization at the community, industry, institutional and national levels around the inclusivity of women within male-dominated trade areas.
Through this Project, Kumasi Hive seeks to leverage existing institutions, individuals, associations, media houses, to have the greatest impact and change perceptions about TVET.
The Kumasi Hive team has commenced the advocacy campaign by having a stakeholder meeting to better understand the communities and their perceptions and advocated in two senior high schools which are Ideal College at Kentinkrono and Agric Nzema Senior High School at Kwadaso to speak to students on the need to consider TVET in their career paths, and change their perceptions about people, but particularly women in that sector.
Advocacy Campaign at Agric Nzema
The team will continue to advocate for Women’s inclusion in the Non-Traditional Trades to prevent stereotypes and change perceptions.
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