Women embrace Kente weaving as a skill for livelihoods.

Kente fabric features distinctive traditional designs and patterns that define the culture and origins of specific tribes and their way of life.

In Ghana, Kente weaving predominantly originated from two regions, the Ashanti and Volta regions, to be precise.

Kente weaving is mostly the preserve of men.

But the narrative is now changing as some women are embracing Kente weaving.

A visit to Jema, the district capital of Kintampo South in the Bono East region, revealed that youth are being trained in the Kente weaving industry, but female apprentices dominate in comparison to the other two regions where Kente weaving is believed to have originated.

The Kente Weaving Training Centre was established in the farming community to help minimize unemployment, rural-urban migration, teenage pregnancy, and drug abuse among the district’s youth.

The enthusiastic young women want to change the narrative and also bridge the gap between their male counterparts so far as women’s empowerment and gender equality as part of sustainable development goal five is concerned.

They are calling on the government to support them financially to achieve their aim.

”We never knew this kente weaving was only for males; women, too, can learn it as a skill to better their lives to improve their livelihood. We are appealing to the government for financial support so that we can establish our weaving center to train others”, they said.

Their male counterparts have also devoted their lives to acquiring the skills for a better future. They are poised to serve as role models for others in the district to emulate.

”We are happy to learn this weaving as a skill; it will also help us more to have a job”.

The Gye Nyame Creative Kente Weaving Training Centre was established to give youth the skills to change their fortunes.

Seeking government assistance under the National Apprentice Program initiative to expand the training facility and recruit more apprentices.

Mr David Asante, who is the founder of Gye Nyame Kente Creative Training Facility, has appealed to the government to support him to expand the facility, which could enroll more apprentices in the district.

By Enock Baffoe/uniquenewsgh.com