By Joyce Adjei Tawiah
The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has partnered with the German Development Agency (GIZ) to launch the “Make Fashion Inclusive” program, aimed at empowering people with disabilities (PWDs) in the fashion industry.
The initiative will provide skills training and economic opportunities to 50 beneficiaries, who will receive a guaranteed market for their products and a shop to facilitate sales.
Existing fashion entrepreneurs and startups will also benefit from skills training, business development, and financial literacy support.
YEA’s Chief Executive, Kofi Baah Agyapong, highlighted the agency’s commitment to supporting PWDs, including the establishment of disability desks in all 266 YEA offices and the recruitment of 282 PWDs as district disability officers.
The YEA will provide a facility for training and a skills and fashion hub, serving as both a training center and garment production center.
Through the partnership, beneficiaries will receive modern electric sewing machines and a guaranteed market for their products.
Wilhelm Hugo, Head of Program for GIZ’s Decent Work for a Just Transition initiative, emphasized the importance of creating decent jobs and improving working conditions.
“One of our key objectives is to create decent jobs and improve working conditions, and so this is a very important partnership for us to achieve this goal of decent jobs and improve working conditions.”
The two-year project will begin with a pilot training program, with plans to expand to other sectors and participants in the future.
