The Partners In Participatory Development (PAPADEV) a Non Governmental Organisation located in the Bole District of the Savannah Region on the 5th May, 2023 organized an end of project forum engagement for the Serepe community Members, Elders and Stakeholders.
Speaking to Bole based Nkilgi Fm, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PAPADEV, Mr. Eddie Telly said Said about a year ago, the Partners in Participatory Development (PAPADEV) has been implementing the PISSCA project which is funded by the French Embassy in Seripe.
He added that, the project seeks to enhance the management of Serepe settle growth site and providing alternative livelihood for the people, whiles providing a platform for PAPADEV to highlight some of the achievements of the project to solicit support of the community people and relevant District Assembly decentralized departments to sustain the achievements of the project.
According to Mr. Eddie Telly some achievements have been made and this include, thirty (30) community conservation Committee members was form and trained to manage about twenty (20) hecters of sacred forest sites and adjacent ten (10) hecters of regenerating woodland.
Also, about thirty (30) species of plants of medicinal value, local fruits tress and other important plants to the people have been identified with scientific and local names and uses, whiles a half kilometer trail was provided with label trees for school children’s education.
On the livelihood development, Mr Telly said, about forty (40) women were trained in small business management and income generating activities, these women were provided with Shea butter processing shed or a mini factory equiped with Shea nut crusher, roaster and miller for easing Shea butter processing.
Also, forty (40) women that is youth and person’s with disabilities were trained in processing of organic Shea butter for National and International markets to earn more money.
Mr Eddie Telly said PAPADEV promises to find buyers for the products.
He added that, about thirty (30) youths, men and women were trained in bee keeping and provided with ten (10) beehive’s for pure honey production and forty (40) household’s were trained in energy efficient cook stoves for households and commercial uses.
He indicated that, some have constructed theirs and are using the cook stoves whiles the rest are being edge to construct them to reduce firewood usage.
Mr Eddie Telly said all these activities were preceded with visits and talks to the Serepe community and school children and above all the use of radio to reach the wider audience in the district about what PAPADEV was doing.
He urged all community members at this stage to support the project initiatives and accomplishment and particularly the District Assembly decentralised departments who have been involved in the project, that is Department of Social Welfare and Community development, Ghana Fire National Service, Forestry Commission and Rural Technology Facility to continue to give the community the needed technical advice to ensure the sustainable of the project,
One of the participants Madam Minata Amadu thank PAPADEV for the education and urged all the people of Serepe to take the project serious as they benefit a lot from it.
Madam Minata Amadu added that, PAPADEV early came to educate them on the importance of community members protecting their forest as that has a lot of benefit to the current and future generations.
She said, their current challenge they are facing is that some of the machines are sometimes difficult to maintain as the may need the immediate assistance of the people who installed the machines for them.
She urged all her colleagues to take the initiative serious as their future grand children will benefit from it.
Another participant, Mr Yahaya Kotomah also thanked PAPADEV for the education given to them by the departments they brought to Seripe to take them through the education.
Source: nkilgifmonline.com
