Since joining The Hunger Project’s Women’s Empowerment Program and becoming a trained animator in Ghana, Dina has expanded her farm, started a new business and has positively affected the lives of women in her community.
My name is Dina Amartey; I am 34 years old and live in Koni village, Matsekope Epicenter. I am married with three children and work as a farmer and business woman.
I came into contact with The Hunger Project in 2006 when a community Vision, Commitment and Action Workshop was organized in my community, educating people about self-reliance, women’s empowerment, HIV and so on. I decided to train as a Women’s Empowerment Program animator when The Hunger Project invited my community to send a representative for the training. I completed Junior Secondary School and was only subsisting by farming on a small piece of land before I met The Hunger Project.
Since my training as an animator, and my participation in The Hunger Project meetings and activities, my eyes have opened. It led to my full understanding of life. I began to plan for my family and my future. The fact that I have three children currently was due to my experience with The Hunger Project; I would have had more.
The Hunger Project taught me how to be independent, work hard and develop a vision. With the knowledge acquired through my association with the organization, I made up my mind to educate my children to the highest possible level. That is the reason why I am working hard to be able to save money. I pay my children’s school fees on my own. I am on family planning now, meaning that I am using contraceptives that have been approved by health personnel at the epicenter. I earn respect from my community members and have become part of the leadership of the community.
I have now expanded my farm; for the last three years, I have been cultivating four to six acres of pepper and okra farms, and I am also into petty trading now. This expansion and the new business I started were aided by the loan and the training I received from The Hunger Project.
As a Women’s Empowerment Program animator, my activities have positively affected the lives of many women in my community; many people call on me to assist them in resolving problems. The Hunger Project is changing the lives of people who are willing to have a change–and I am one.
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