News
‘Dorcas Project’ receives skills training support
Eleven widows who belonged to a group known as “The Dorcas Project” from the Lapaz District of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, have received skills training in bread baking, pastries, soap and beads preparation in Accra.
The skills training which was held at the River Rose School, Tantra Hill, Accra, was aimed at empowering the beneficiaries, who belonged to the “The Dorcas Project” to become economically independent, concentrate on caring for their children, and stop thinking about the loss of their husbands.
Rev Mrs Nyuieme Adiepena, the National Women’s Programme Officer of the West Volta Women’s Fellowship (WVWF), who was In- charge of the programme, said in an interview with The Spectator that the training was facilitated by the All African Conference of Churches( AACC), Widows Fund .
She said the AACC was glad to sponsor the ” The Dorcas Project”, having considered the economic hardship members were going through.
Rev Adiepena said the sponsorship package included the equipment the trainees would work with, to eradicate the difficulty of mobilising capital to start on their own.
She was of the hope that the beneficiaries would take keen interest in the various skills they were taught and make maximum benefits out of them.
Rev Adiepena lauded the initiative of the stakeholders of ” The Dorcas Project,” adding that it would ease the burden of the beneficiaries.
The President of the West Volta Women’s Fellowship, Presbyter Mrs Naomi Jiagge, described the training as good since it would ease the burden of the women involved and assured that the fellowship would continue to pray for their success.
Ms Doris Ofori, one of the trainees said she and some of her colleagues had started preparing liquid soap for sale.
She intimated that they had planned to come together to bake bread for sale at affordable prices to school children when school re-opens, adding that they remained grateful to the facilitators of the programme.
History
“The Dorcas Project” was established in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the Lapaz District of Accra by a group of stakeholders, led by Rev (Mrs) Davida Matti- Atakpah in June 2019.
It commenced with 10 widows and four widowers, with the aim of helping them to ease emotional and psychological pains endured , and stigmatisation they encountered as a result of some socio- cultural practices.
Rev Matti-Atakpah said she later discovered that some of them needed financial support to enable them to cater for their families and perform other social duties, hence the need to provide them with employable skills.
She was grateful to Rev Adiepena through whose initiative the group had acquired the support from the (AACC) Widow’s Fund .
By GhanaianTimes
Muslims across the country celebrated this year’s Eid-ul-Adha in a colourful and spiritually uplifting atmosphere under the theme, “A Season of Sacrifice, Solidarity and Spiritual Renewal.”
The celebration brought together Muslims from diverse backgrounds in a remarkable display of faith, unity and cultural heritage.
The occasion was marked by special Eid prayers at various designated grounds, the slaughtering of rams in homes for sharing among family members, friends and the less privileged, as well as musical concerts and recreational activities including horse riding.
Leading the celebration was the Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Sharubutu.
While the national celebration was held at the Black Star Square where President John Dramani Mahama was the Special Guest of Honour, similar gatherings took place at different centres across the capital and other regions of the country.
A visit by The Spectator to some celebration grounds revealed Muslims, both young and old, elegantly dressed in colourful jalabiya and other Islamic attire, reflecting the rich culture and traditions of the Muslim community.
The celebration also portrayed the spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the country, as a number of Christians joined their Muslim counterparts to mark the occasion.
Muslim leaders and government officials used the opportunity to call on the faithful to uphold the teachings of the Holy Quran, renew their spiritual commitment and refrain from acts capable of undermining the peace, unity and security of the nation.
They further urged Ghanaians to continue to live in harmony and support one another for national development.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Dear Obaa Yaa,
During Eid-ul- Adha celebration, I decided to spend the weekend at my boyfriend’s place since we were planning towards our marriage.
To my surprise, what keeps me wide awake, restless and frustrated every single time is that he snores loudly like a generator running on full power, and I genuinely cannot get any rest
At a point, I thought it was just a normal thing, but I have realised it is something he does with ease and doesn’t see anything wrong with it.
When he steps out in the morning, I try to get enough sleep because I may not sleep in the evening.
The most annoying thing is that, he always wants to cuddle me. These two things are a no for me and a red flag.
We are about to get married, what should I do?
Enam, Keta.
Dear Enam,
The snoring and constant cuddling are frustrating, but you don’t have to choose between sleep and closeness.
Start with the snoring: check if it’s worse when he sleeps on his back, cut out alcohol before bed, try nasal strips or a humidifier, and see a doctor if he pauses while breathing.
For quick relief, foam earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help a lot.
Separate blankets, a bigger bed, or sleeping apart on some nights often makes couples rest well and feel closer overall.
Bring this up before the wedding .Tell him you want to wake up next to him for years to come, but sleep deprivation makes you both miserable.
Test earplugs and side-sleeping this weekend, and if it’s still unbearable, bring in a doctor. Good sleep matters more for your marriage than staying glued together all night.
