The apex body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC) and its allied stakeholders has donated crates of eggs and other assorted items to female prisons across the country as part of activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.
In the Greater Accra Region, WIPVaC donated to the Akuse Female Prison. The other items donated include toiletries, sanitary pads, used clothes, rice among others.
Presenting the items, the National President of WIPVaC, Victoria Norgbey, observed that WIPVaC and its partners wishes to express love to the inmates of the prison by supporting them with the items to augment their daily needs.
She added that eggs are not too expensive but provides a complete protein in diets and an egg a day is a complete meal.
“In this era of COVID-19, egg consumption goes a long way in boosting the immune system to fight against the disease” Norgbey stated.
READ More: Is Ghana a Poor or Rich Country?
On behalf of the entire membership of WIPVaC and its patrons, Norgbey congratulated all women, and “of course the men who are solidly supporting us and we say ayekooo for good job done”.
Norgbey observed that the celebration falls in line with the Government of Ghana’s inclusive empowerment agenda to enable citizens everywhere, including women and youth to positively contribute to economic development.
“When there is equity, it leads to equality and empowerment and when women are supported to move alongside men in decision making at all levels, development is faster and more sustainable,” she added.
The donation was made possible with support for the African Women Animal Resource Farming, Global Women Development Promoters, Ghana Poultry Project (GPP) and USDA, GPP
Receiving the items, the second in command of the Akuse Female Prisons, DSP Rejoice Adzakpa commended the organization for the gesture and assured that the items will be used for the purpose that they were intended for. She added that the eggs would greatly supplement the protein given to the inmates.
Prior to the celebration, there were panel discussion on the theme for the celebration on various media platforms. The flagship of the celebration was the donation of poultry products to all female prisons across the country.
Norgbey observed that this year’s celebration has been made possible by the USDA – Ghana Poultry Project (GPP) who are their major sponsors. GPP also supported Women In Poultry Farming (WIPF) to implement the Broiler Project. They have over the years supported Eggs Sellers to strengthen their association, supported development of Egg Standards, supported Soya Aggregators and Pullet production projects, Live bird sellers and supported Advocacy training for enabling environment.
The flagship of which is the Entrepreneurship Savings and Loans Group (ESLG) scheme to instill the habit of saving in women towards sustainability of their businesses.
WIPVaC has been involved in advocacy and research activities for enabling environment for sustainable livestock development. In 2019, with sponsorship from the BUSAC Fund and its donors, USAID and DANIDA, WIPVaC-Apex through extensive research, obtained evidence to advocate the speedy implementation of the ECOWAS Veterinary Pharmaceutical Protocol which was yet to be operationalised in Ghana.
This year’s International Women’s Day celebration was themed: Women in Leadership, Achieving Equality in a COVID-19 World. With the hashtag, #Choosetochallenge.
Donation to tamale female prisons
The Northern Regional Chapter of the Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC) on Monday March 8,2021, surprised female inmates of the Tamale central prisons with acts of kindness to mark the International Women’s Day celebration.
The leadership of the Association led by Asitik Afelik Comfort, presented two boxes of sanitary pad, a box of key soap, 20 create of eggs, one box of carbolic soap and a bag of used clothes to the female inmates.
Afelik in addressing the press declared that, the donation is a nationwide exercise with Kumasi chosen as the national venue, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was observed at the regional levels.
Last year members of the association made a similar donation to some schools in Tamale, Orphanage homes and the Tamale central prisons.
This, Afelik added that the charity donation happens occasionally to serve as a form of support to the needy as part of the Association’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR).
ASP Mariama Labik who received the items on behalf of the Prison said the donation would aid the efforts at reforming the inmates.
She expressed gratitude to WIPVaC for the gesture describing it as timely.
“This is a huge relief and we are extremely grateful for this”, she added.
Donation to Wa female prisons
The Women in Poultry Value Chain business celebrated international women’s day with inmates at Wa in the Wa central prisons in a grand-style.
Speaking to the press at Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region, Pharm Mary Saan Coordinator of the Association said “Today is International Women’s Day and we thought it wise donating to the vulnerable in society and our group suggested the prisons and here we are this afternoon to ensure our brothers and sisters in this severe heat here also enjoys the taste of egg and bread, it is not their will to sometimes be here, some are innocent yet serving sentences and may be proven later as innocent and consequently be discharged”.
Pharm Mary presented cartons of egg and basins full of bread on behalf of the Association to the station Commander.
Receiving the items on behalf of the inmates, Station Chief Officer Nab Kolog Simon said “we indeed appreciate this kind gesture and as Pharm Mary rightly said prison inmates are our brothers and sisters and anyone of us including myself in uniform could find ourselves here out of mistake but one thing I noticed ever since I started my work as an officer is that, most of those visitors that often visit us here to sympathize with inmates are mostly women and I am beginning to understand the pain they undergo while in labour”.