Sr. Dr. Margret Mary Ntrakwah and Sr. Maureen Ogundeph
One of the World Women Observatory ambassadors, Sister Dr. Margaret Mary Ntrakwah who is a member of the Sisters of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus is the executive director of Ancilla Women Development and Rehabilitation Centre (AWDRC), which is a charitable organization run by and established as the Congregation’s contribution to the Church’s Social Concern of Option for the poor, especially the spiritually, morally and socio/economically poor women.
It started its operation on 1st May 2003, on St Joseph the Worker’s Day to serve as an inspiration to women to love work as a decent means of earning a living; for the Scripture says, “The hand that does not work neither must it eat.”
Exploitation, bullying, and hard luck, coupled with illiteracy and poverty of women notwithstanding, some of the problems of our women which tag them with vulnerability can be traced to their love for easy ways of life as opposed to love for ‘beautiful’ hard work. Thus, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph serve as patrons for the Ancilla Women Organization.
The program is for women with their children in distress, for the abused and wayward woman who desire to come back home but do not know how and what to do; for school dropped-out girls and non-school goers needing some skills that will help place them in good standing. Nonetheless, any women who want to improve or update their womanhood domestic skills are also welcome but on a fee which will be used to support the needy ones to also come up.
The program aims at empowering young women to handle their self-improvement in dignity rather than in shame.
To educate them to be aware of the spiritual, social, economic, and civic implications inherent in their self-development.
To equip them with skills that will help them manage their socio-economic development with some ease.
To establish a training Centre where poor women and girls with little or no education, can have access to training in adequate and employable skills.
To train them in income-generating ventures for economic empowerment.
To achieve the above goals and objectives, the program offers training in spiritual transformation, and moral and civic education, to enable them to know what their rights and responsibilities are as citizens of the nation, citizens of the world, and citizens of God’s Kingdom. This training helps them realize that their lifestyle affects any other person around them as we do not live for ourselves alone and so are not permitted to live anyhow and to be ready to give as they receive (nothing but the best of themselves).
They offer Spiritual Transformation Exercises, Counseling + Cognitive Therapy and Talks, Income Generating Skill Training - Working with Fabric, Bead Work, Catering and House Keeping, Pomade and Powder Making, Soap Making, and Other Crafts: Armrests, rugs, school bags, handbags, purses, etc. Child care practices, Marketing Skills, Spirit of Sharing: AWDRC has a slogan dubbed “Give as you have received.” Mobile Training MCH/PHC. Maternal/Child and Primary Health Care Education is offered to mothers during durbars and field visits as a subject of the program.
OUTPUT: At the end of their training (from 3 months to two years), the program expects to have turned out: Women who are confident, resourceful, and self-reliant, Women with integrity and vision, Skillful and employable women ready to take up their rightful position in society, Well-adjusted and respectable woman, Women who have the stamina to confront societal pressures with courage and Dignity, Women who can bring up their children – able or challenged, in an upright manner.
The dream has always been to establish an Inclusive Education Programme to help the mothers who are burdened with the care of their disabled children and the children themselves who want to learn but are not accepted in many existing institutions because of their conditions.
We pray that all who seek the welfare of womanhood both in Ghana and elsewhere will join hands with us and assist us financially to engage in this noble fight.
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