Livelihood Intern

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Alliance for African Women Initiative (AFAWI) constantly ​welcomes volunteers from all over the world, to help our team with the planning, implementation and coordination of our projects. As a grassroots organization we strongly believe in the combination of intercultural exchange and regional social engagement of local employees, bearing in mind the important requirement of cultural and social understanding, when it comes to a sensitive work that is actually affecting other peoples life.

Volunteering with AFAWI will therefore give you a unique chance to learn and experience grassroots development work in a local Ghanaian NGO. You will be working in rural communities alongside our experienced staff and thus ensure equality and dignity for women and children in Ghana and help building the country from the bottom.
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Together we can bring out real positive change!

The Livelihood Project focuses on empowering women in need in Ghana, with the overall aim of making them financially independent and giving them and their family the chance to rise above the poverty line. As women play an important role in the economical sector, but often are dependent on the income of their husbands or other family members, our project supports their creation of a new business or their expansion of an existing one (e.g. selling of water, fruits). The project is thereby scheduled in three phases:

1. All women are required to take trainings and workshops.​ The workshops will go through basic business skills, finance, management and health care (incl. family planing). The health aspect is very important bearing in mind the crucial role of a women in the well being of the whole family, which therefore is directly linked to her work ability. During the sessions, the women will further have the chance to connect with others and share their ideas.
2. In a second step, women are then provided capital in the form of small loans with very low interest rates, for investing it in a new business or expand an existing one.
3. Thirdly daily savings accounts are made available (locally known as "susu") to encourage further saving for the future. Many women do not have access to bank accounts because of the accompanying costs and the long distance to bank offices. AFAWI therefore provides a chance to create a saving account through a personal collection of the saved money by our staff at the womens home or workplace.