Efforts to translate vocational training into sustainable livelihoods are gaining momentum in Hohoe, where 63 apprentices and trainers have been equipped with tools to kick-start their own businesses.
The beneficiaries received start-up kits under the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP), implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and the Ghana Enterprises Agency through the Business in a Box (BizBox) Agric Apprenticeship2Entrepreneur initiative.
The support package included a wide range of equipment tailored to different trades, from industrial sewing machines and hairdryers to cooking utensils and protective gear—tools expected to help beneficiaries transition from training into income-generating work.
Presenting the items, Prosper Kumi underscored the importance of maintaining the equipment, stressing that sustainability of the programme depended largely on how well beneficiaries managed the resources provided.
He noted that the initiative forms part of broader measures to tackle unemployment in the municipality by empowering young people with both skills and the means to apply them productively.
Project coordinators say the intervention goes beyond distribution, with monitoring mechanisms already in place to track usage and impact. Passover Rebirth indicated that follow-up visits would be conducted to ensure the tools are used effectively and to inform future phases of the programme.
Beneficiaries welcomed the support, describing it as a turning point that would enable them to establish businesses, increase their income, and improve their living conditions.
The initiative reflects a growing focus on linking skills development directly to entrepreneurship, with stakeholders hoping it will create a ripple effect of job creation and local economic growth in Hohoe.
