A total of 63 apprentices and trainers in the Hohoe Municipality have received start-up kits under the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP), delivered through a partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA).
The support forms part of the Business in a Box (BizBox) Agric Apprenticeship2Entrepreneur initiative, aimed at equipping young people with the tools needed to transition from training into sustainable self-employment.
The beneficiaries were presented with a range of equipment tailored to their respective trades, including aprons, disposable gloves, T-shirts, headscarves, trampolines, local stoves, basins, toolkit boxes, hairdryers, industrial sewing machines, and cooking pots.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, Prosper Kumi, underscored the importance of maintaining the equipment to ensure long-term use and impact.
He noted that the scale of beneficiaries reflected ongoing efforts to tackle unemployment in the municipality, particularly among the youth.
According to him, providing tools and resources to apprentices not only enhances their productivity but also enables artisans to generate income and expand their businesses.
Mr Kumi also expressed appreciation to the implementing partners for their continued support, stressing that such interventions play a critical role in helping young people achieve economic independence and build viable livelihoods.
The Hohoe Municipal Coordinator of the BizBox Project, Passover Rebirth, indicated that monitoring mechanisms had been put in place to track the use of the equipment.
He explained that follow-up visits would be conducted to ensure that beneficiaries utilise the tools effectively, thereby maximising the impact of the programme and creating opportunities for additional participants in the future.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke after the ceremony, expressed gratitude for the support, describing it as a timely intervention that would significantly improve their working conditions and overall standard of living.
The BizBox initiative is part of broader efforts to promote entrepreneurship and skills development, particularly within the informal sector, as a pathway to reducing unemployment and driving local economic growth.
