Aid for Socio-Economic and Rural Development (ASERD-Ghana) has held stakeholders and community engagements in the West Gonja Municipality of the savannah region.
The events which was held from Monday 17th July to Friday, 21st July, 2023 was aimed at launching the project “Enhancing Mole Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation through Community-Based Resources Management and Apiculture Value-Chain Systems” (MOLE-ECO BVC PROJECT).
ASERD-Ghana is a legitimate non-governmental organization based in the Northern parts of Ghana. Their vision is to uplift the living standards of the rural poor, marginalized individuals, and rural women while contributing to equitable and sustainable community development.
The project’s objective is to promote environmentally friendly practices to improve the living conditions of communities by using apiculture (beekeeping) as an alternative source of livelihood.
Three communities around the Mole National Park, namely KANANTO, KABAMPE, and GRUPE, are set to benefit from the project through activities related to biodiversity conservation and beekeeping value-chain systems, which will support their livelihoods and help protect the environment, particularly the Mole Landscape.
The Municipal Chief executive for West Gonja, Hon Musah Karim Kusubari expressed his gratitude to ASERD-GHANA and the UNDP Ghana Office for their efforts to support Communities in protecting the environment and reducing poverty in rural areas in the Municipality through beekeeping and CREMA activities.
He highlighted that providing resources and training for beekeeping will empower community members and reduce reliance on politicians for support.
He also mentioned that engaging community members in commercial activities will encourage them to protect the Mole reserve and discourage encroachment.
The stakeholders’ engagement held at the MCE’s office emphasized the importance of giving annual reports to the municipal assembly and encouraged support and cooperation from other NGOs and CSOs in the West Gonja Municipality, with a call for extending assistance to more communities.
The Executive Director of ASERD-Ghana Mr Benjamin Dimongso Kafari have encouraged community members to see projects within their Area as community owned rather than the implementing organization.
He therefore added that the only way to sustain projects in communities is for the beneficiaries to see the project belonging to them rather than the NGO.
He further stated that projects over the years have failed because most beneficiaries communities often see the project as belonging to those implementing the project.
In addition, Mr Benjamin stressed on the need for beneficiary communities to put all effort on board for the success of the project which will bring more projects or interventions towards the elevation of poverty within the Area.
Hon. Mohammed Mumuni, the Assembly Man for Apilso Electoral area and presiding Member of the West Gonja Municipal Assembly, congratulated ASERD-Ghana and UNDP Ghana Office for their project in the communities and pledged his support to contribute to the successful implementation of the project to improve the lives of the people in the area.
In attendance were chiefs and people of the beneficiary communities, project officers of ASERD-Ghana, the Assemblyman of the area and other stakeholders.
ASERD-GHANA, established in 2015 is committed to strengthening the capacities of rural communities through various socio-economic and livelihood empowerment activities to improve their standard of living sustainably. Their focus areas include agriculture, education, sustainable rural development, and other related themes.
