A slum in
Accra on a sunny afternoon in April. A group of women is setting up an
improvised tent to protect themselves from the sun while attending an empowerment
workshop. These women are part of the Obrapaa Women’s group, a group of former
sex workers collectively designing and selling handmade jewelry. The group who is
also acting as peer educators to carry out health campaigns related to HIV/AIDS
testing and sexually transmitted infection screening for Crossroads
International’s partner, Pro-Link Ghana, participated over the past few months
in a series of workshops facilitated by Crossroads’ volunteers. On the
afternoon I joined them, they were getting ready to attend a workshop to boost
their self-esteem.
These
workshops focused on skills development with beadwork, basket weaving or
entrepreneurship training but not only. The Obrapaa Group also participated in
yoga, wellness and self care workshops as a way to develop their self-esteem
and self confidence. The group has become a safe place where women can help
each other and talk about their rights, but also their day to day challenges.
Thanks to
these initiatives, the Obrapaa group launched a jewelry collection that provides
them with additional revenue, helping them contribute to their families’
expenses. Formerly stigmatized and marginalized in their community, they earned
back respect and dignity because of their new economic activities. They are now
more self-confident and know more about their rights. Prouder, they use their
voice to have an impact in their community.
The work
Pro-Link and our Crossroaders are doing with those women reflects the
integrated approach Crossroads International promotes to achieve gender
equality. I firmly believe that to advance equality we need to work on
improving the economic, social and political situation of women. Empowered women
have the means to overcome the challenges they face and can make their voice heard
in their community. When women are economically self-sufficient, when they know
their rights and have the political representation they need, they can assert
their rights and demand equality. Crossroads focuses its work on those three
areas because change won’t be sustainable if we don’t.
On that sunny
afternoon, I met women who had regained control of their lives, women proud of
what they have accomplished. Women who, a few months ago, had no self-confidence,
now talk proudly about themselves. They now have hope for a brighter future for
themselves and their kids.
