As part of the Baobab Academy’s Community Intervention Program and objective of skills training for the youth to reduce poverty and empower stakeholders, the Beads Making course was designed, considering the season, fashion trends, and market preferences of current Ghanaians. The training was designed to span a period of three months, after which trainees are able to use beads in designing artifacts and accessories ready for the market.

After series of interaction with the community and elders of Osu, a suburb in Accra, it became necessary for the Academy to intervene with a skills training program specially for the women and single mothers, since most of them were finding it difficult to be gainfully employed and needed a source of income to support their children and families. Osu, although known for its busy night life, restaurants, and modern shopping facilities, is home to some of the poorest in Accra who survive on fishing and petty trading. Many females from this area fall victim to teenage pregnancy, whiles the young males a tempted to engage in social vices.

Due to these challenges Amicus Onlus on Monday 12th June 2017 together with the community, rolled out ‘The Beads Making Project’ to assist women to become financially independent whiles contributing to the economic well-being of their communities either directly or indirectly. The academy was able to enroll twenty-five (25) students for the program.

The Beads Making Project was rolled for a period of three months and within this period, the women were able to come out with beautiful artifacts made with beads. Training was done on weekdays only (late morning because by then, they would have finished with their house chores including feeding their children) to allow mothers to take care of their children during the weekend.

After the first month of the training period, the students were able to sell their items in order to acquire more materials for further creative designs.

The training ended successfully on Friday, 15th September, 2017. The successful graduates are now empowering other women in their various communities. Constant monitoring is conducted to enable the Baobab Academy to follow-up and support those women who may be facing challenges in mentoring others and also to encourage them.