The ceremony took place on the 16th June where local dignitaries presented tool kits to 70 artisans from the northern districts, which are the three poorest of Ghana’s ten districts. The beneficiaries represented the full range of small businesses, as masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, plumbers, shoemakers and mechanics were all invited to collect kits that had been carefully prepared by TFSR workshops in the UK.

Dr. Banka, Chief Executive of Upper West Agro-Processing Industries and Board of Trustee member of CEDEP expressed his delight at the high standards and quality of the tools. One of the artisans receiving a kit said that he could hardly believe that he had only to pay the transport costs in Ghana for a kit that would be extremely valuable to his business.

Also present were previous TFSR kit recipients who shared their experiences and gave encouragement to new beneficiaries. All of these artisans indicated that the tools had supported them to improve working methods and achieve more than they could have done previously. Certain artisans spoke out to say that they now had the correct tools for specific jobs, and therefore the quality of their products had increased. One seamstress in particular described how most of her apprentices are from poor families and cannot afford to buy their own machines. However, after help from TFSR, she now has enough machines for her apprentices to share, so that they can all learn the trade and improve their skills.

After the tool presentation, there was a feedback forum with pictures, success stories and an exchange of ideas about how the programme can be improved even further. There are now plans in place to form an association of past CEDEP / TFSR beneficiaries and artisans were encouraged to start a savings fund to enable future investment and growth.

TFSR’s collaboration with CEDEP began in 1996 and has since gone from strength to strength in their joint aims to reduce poverty by providing support to the vulnerable, marginalised and excluded such as young people, women, people with HIV / AIDS, and people with disabilities.