Founded in 2002, Village Exchange Ghana (VEG) is the local implementing partner of the Village Exchange Group. The NGO strives to promote the economic empowerment of vulnerable rural women through programmes in reproductive, sexual, and maternal health, and social entrepreneurship.

Projects by Village Exchange Ghana

Lady Volta Green Tech Academy (LVGTA)

The Lady Volta Green Tech Academy (LVGTA) was established in January 2015 under a partnership between Village Exchange Ghana (VEG) and Social Venture Africa (SVA). It is a technical skill centre that provides education and training in electricity and renewable energies. LVGTA’s objective is to provide students with income-generating activities, mentoring, and professional opportunities. The LVGTA seeks to make green energy available and affordable to everyone and to foster the development of rural areas.

Since 2003, a major concern of Village Exchange Ghana’s activities has been to have a majority of female students join the LVGTA. This move is geared towards changing the narrative of the underrepresentation of women in technical professions and promoting women’s empowerment.

French Solidarity Programme 2017

The French Solidarity Programme was organized with the support of the French Embassy in Ghana in collaboration with VEG and SVA. Through the programme, solar energy was brought to 11 households that lacked access to the national grid. Some residents in Gakukorfe, in the Adaklu district, benefited from this initiative.

The LVGTA students contributed to the solar installation under the supervision of a France Voluntaries engineer. The project was built together with the community to ensure the support of local authorities and the people. Involving the community members also helps to ensure the maintenance of the equipment.

To enhance the sustainability of the project, VEG came up with a “Solidarity Group” comprising all the current beneficiaries. The purpose of the group is to enable VEG/SVA to provide more effective services to the beneficiaries, and to enhance the dissemination of information to each group member through their leaders. The solidarity group also seeks to promote team spirit and mutual support in the community.

Since its inception, VEG has leveraged the experience of local and international individuals and groups to promote women’s empowerment, renewable energy, and entrepreneurship. Its vision is to enable women and disadvantaged youth to take their destiny into their own hands and to make affordable green energy available to everyone.

REFERENCE

Information from https://www.villageexchangeinternational.org/about-us/ and https://www.villageexchangeinternational.org/solidarity-program/ was used in this story