Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd. empowers Kayayei with Vocational Skills
Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd. (OISL), one of the leading savings and loans companies in Ghana, recently celebrated the graduation of 30 young women who participated in its flagship vocational skills training program aimed at transforming the lives of street porters (Kayayei).
The event took place in Kumasi at the Methodist Training Center on August 30, 2024.
These women successfully completed an intensive four-week life skills training program in vocational skills such as baking, bead making, and soap making, laying a strong foundation for their financial independence and personal growth.
Each participant received a stipend of GH₵400 during the training period, along with an additional GH₵100 to open a bank account with the institution. During the program, the women were provided with three meals a day, free accommodation, and personal hygiene kits.
As part of their graduation, the participants were also given startup kits worth GH₵2,500 each and awarded certificates to celebrate their dedication and perseverance in completing the program.
The event was graced by Hajia Azara Abukari-Haroun, Chairperson of the Board Transformation Committee of OISL, who also served as the event’s chairperson. Other dignitaries included Ms. Theophilia Esther Larbie, Head of the Transformation Department of OISL; Mr. Isaac Gyesi, Head of Compliance at OISL; and Mr. Richard Anyamesem, Head of Marketing at OISL, along with other staff and management of the company. Notable attendees also included Osman Zibilim, Chairman of the Kumasi Kayayei Association; Iddrisu Mahama, and Haruna Alhassan, the Dagomba Chiefs of Kwadaso and Perkyi, respectively.
In her opening remarks, Hajia Abukari-Haroun emphasized the importance of transformation and sustainability, urging the graduates to view their current achievements as a foundation for future progress. She inspired the graduates to focus on the opportunities ahead, assuring them that their hard work would lead to a better future for themselves and their children.
Mr. Osman Zibilim expressed his gratitude to OISL and its partner, the Medicor Foundation, for supporting the Kayayei community in Kumasi. He encouraged the graduates to embrace their bright futures, leaving behind their past struggles.
The Kayayei Project is a collaboration between Opportunity International Savings and Loans and the Medicor Foundation, aimed at empowering and educating these marginalized women. The Medicor Foundation, based in the UK, is an independent charitable organization focused on education, health, and social care to improve the well-being of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe.
Since the inception of the programme in 2019, 322 women have been trained, with over 70% now utilizing their skills to support themselves and their families. Notably, 140 of these women (43%) have relocated back to the northern part of the country for resettlement. These women serve as living proof of the potential that can be unlocked through proper support and opportunities.
Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd. currently has 38 branches in 10 of the 16 regions of Ghana, serving over 675,000 clients across the country. It is a subsidiary of Opportunity International, a global organization headquartered in Chicago, delivering services and programs to clients in 30 countries across the globe, serving over 20 million customers with micro banking, micro insurance, agriculture, education finance, and innovative non-financial services.