The third outcome of the Greater Rural Opportunities for Women II project (GROWII) seeks to ensure; Gender equitable participation of women in decision-making within their households and the communities. To ensure gender equity amongst women and men and to ultimately achieve gender equality at the community level, URBANET (As a KFP), in partnership with the Mennonite Economic Development Association (MEDA), is implementing the Gender Model Family (GMF) program in Zoggu and Jegun Communities in the Nanton District.

As part of the initial processes towards full implementation of the GMF program, URBANET/MEDA did a community entry and sensitization in the two (2) communities (Zoggu|Jegun) to seek the community buy-in and also ensure ownership and sustainability of the program.

Gender Model Family (GMF) is a program that encourages and gives husbands the knowledge and tools to live equitably/equally with their wives and to ensure that their boys and girls are given the same opportunities to develop their potential. It influences how couples/partners share household chores, how family members communicate and how parents interact with their children. One of the key benefits of this program is that it builds trust, fosters mutual respect and peaceful co-existence, which are vital in building and ensuring sustainable community development.

© GROW2 is funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC)

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As the year draws to a close, the Board of URBANET is visiting our communities to engage beneficiaries of our interventions. The visits also afford them the opportunity to engage other key stakeholders including the District Assemblies and their decentralized departments. It is expected that members will gather relevant information to support oversight role.

The Hub shall serve as a ‘one-stop shop’ for women to access gender-responsive Business Development Services (BDS) to start and grow small enterprises, would be operated out of existing district-level Business Advisory Centers (BACs) operated by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA). The Rural Solar Hub established in Voggu in the Kumbungu District in Northern Region Ghana will serve women in both Tolon and the Kumbungu district by providing them information relevant to their businesses.

The Hub will support businesswomen in five main service areas; Entrepreneurship and Business Management, Green Value Chain Development, Green Business, Buyers, Marketing and Outreach, and Financial Inclusion. It is the intention of the Project to facilitate the feminization of services under these identified areas as well as improving linkages between service providers and project beneficiaries.

URBANET in partnership with Plan International Ghana through the WISE project has organized a one day learning and sharing event in Tamale. The event brought together all the project critical stakeholders who contribute to the project implementation. URBANET shared updates on progress of implementation, lessons learned over the year of implementation and some challenges encountered during the period. Relevant feedback was taken from stakeholders to improve project implementation.

With the ultimate goal to enhance economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive economic growth for women in Ghana, URBANET and Plan International Ghana under the WISE PROJECT have started supporting smallholder women farmers along the soybean value chain to take advantage of the cropping season which has just set in. Working with the department of agriculture in both Tolon and Kumbungu, over 2,500 smallholder women farmers received training on soybean production and post-harvest practices. Aside the training, the women will be supported with improved seeds and link to sustainable market.

It’s been an exciting day of knowledge and experience sharing by EMpower West Africa grantee partners at the Mensvic grand hotel, Accra. The three-day programme designed to build capacities of partners in programme design and implementation as well as the new focus of EMpower in Non-traditional livelihoods opportunities for young people also has selected young women attending to contribute views and recommendations for EMpower’s future priorities and plans.

The dry season is almost here and URBANET through the adaptation fund project supported Tampion and Zeing communities with logistics and inputs to undertake dry season vegetable cultivation as an income generating opportunity.

URBANET received a certificate of appreciation from the World Universities Service of Canada. This was to express WUSC’s profound gratitude for URBANET’s valuable contribution and support to the success of the Uniterra Programme in Ghana from 2015-2020. Uniterra is a leading Canadian international development program that is jointly operated by CECI and WUSC. Each year, 600 volunteers contribute their time and experience to positive and lasting change towards a more equitable world by dedicating a few weeks to two years of their lives to international volunteer work. Three volunteers on different occasions volunteered at URBANET.