Prostitute Social and Economic Rehabilitation

Courses include:

• Training by skilled craft-persons
• Materials and tools are supplied
• Accommodation provided
• Entrepreneurial skills taught
• Christian counseling
• Discipleship and prayer offered
• tart-up funds and a loan to graduates

In July 1998 AE Ghana organized a Mission to Kumasi where people from various sectors of society, including prostitutes, received ministry. Twenty prostitutes were then, in two groups, trained with skills enabling them to earn a decent living. A similar Mission was later held in the capital of Ghana, Accra. Here, thanks to the financial support and prayers of Tenth Presbyterian Church, a further fifty-four prostitutes received similar training and rehabilitation during 2002 and 2003. The Government of Ghana supported an additional group of twenty-six during 2003, bringing the total number of graduates to one hundred. The success rate of each group has been 90% or higher.

As there are many others, ranging from 15 to 45 years of age in Accra, who desperately want to leave their trade but cannot without outside help, this year¹s program will help rehabilitate and train a further 50 women. These women would otherwise continue to live with a social stigma, be vulnerable to a wide range of diseases, have the propensity to infect others, and be destined to a life of poverty. Their lifestyle changes will also help curtail the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

Participants receive training in a craft, entrepreneurial skills, counseling, prayer, discipleship and accommodation. African textile manufacture (batik, tie and dye, screen-printing); the making of soaps, cosmetic and detergents; and bakery are the most popular classes. Learning such crafts helps restore dignity because participants become employable or self-employed in a trade. After training, each successful graduate is given a certificate, start-up funds in the form of working equipment, and a loan.

Close monitoring of loan expenditure and repayments is made. These empowered and changed women will positively impact their family and community, and therefore also the nation of Ghana.