The Street Academy, a non-governmental organisation, has marked Boxing Day by empowering former beneficiaries with sewing machines to help them acquire employable skills and become productive members of society.
Mr Ataa Lartey, Executive Director of the Street Academy, said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that children who passed through the Academy became assets, and not liabilities, to the nation.
He said children, who dropped out of formal education, were encouraged to learn a trade, stressing that after acquiring skills, they needed tools to enable them to work and earn a living.
Mr Lartey said five sewing machines, mobilised from friends of the Academy, were presented to beneficiaries to support their transition into the world of work.
He explained that the items included two electric sewing machines and three manual ones, adding that the gesture formed part of the fifth edition of the support programme.
Mr Lartey said the Academy, which was deeply rooted in the community, continued to assist vulnerable children who lacked support to move on with their lives.
He appealed to benevolent individuals and organisations to support the Academy’s call for a playing field with astro turf for the children, expressing hope that the project could be realised before March 2026.
Mr Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, Member of Parliament for Odododiodio Constituency, who graced the ceremony, described the beneficiaries as the heartbeat of the country.
He cited former Bantamweight boxing champion, Joseph Agbeko, as an example of a successful product of the Street Academy.
Mr Kotey Ashie assured the Academy of his continued collaboration to ensure it received the support it deserved, urging the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunities given them.
“We are here to empower some of you to learn and work on your handy skills, to serve as garment makers, fashion designers, and clothing and textile engineers,” he said.
He urged them to value and cherish the support, seek guidance when faced with challenges, and use the machines for their intended purpose to improve their lives.
The beneficiaries were Mary Morkor Adams, Abigail Adjetey, Rose Okai, Lawrence Larkai, and Ophelia Amenyo, while Miss Abigail Adjetey expressed gratitude to the Academy and its partners, saying the machines were the foundation steps to their future greatness.
