The beneficiaries received a livelihood support of equipment for dressmaking, hairdressing and micro credit cash worth GH¢1, 856 million after being accessed on their choice of trade.

Thirty-seven of the beneficiaries opted to go into dressmaking and hair dressing and received equipment to enhance the practice, whereas a total of 195 of them received cash to start up businesses.

The project is aimed at contributing to the improved maternal mental health and livelihood outcomes among the poor and vulnerable women in the Northern region, through the quality of accessibility of maternal health services, combined with behaviour change and income generation strategies.

Alhaji Sheikh Yakubu-Abdukl Kareem, the GKS Project Coordinator said, the disbursement of equipment was not the only provisions made by the project as they would also receive GH¢400.00 as apprenticeship fee, which would be paid directly to the master apprentice.

He appealed to the caregivers of the beneficiaries to be responsible in ensuring that their wards took the trade seriously and put the equipment to proper use.

Alhaji Razak Saani, the Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) urged beneficiaries to be innovative in their various trades in order to make the difference and attract customers.

He admonished them to work hard to prove to the donors that the equipment disbursement and every support given was worth it, to give room for others to be beneficiaries of the project and similar ones in the future.

Mr Abdul-Razak Al-Hassan, the MMH Project Coordinator said the project faced some outbreak of a tribal conflict between the KonKombas and the Chokosis in the Saboba and Chereponi districts and therefore could not benefit from those districts.