Tamale: The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), in collaboration with its partners, has initiated a three-day capacity-building workshop aimed at enhancing the capabilities of staff working under the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) project.
According to Ghana News Agency, a total of 18 staff members from various implementing NGOs, including project directors, communications officers, and monitoring and evaluation officers, are participating in the workshop. The training is designed to equip them with essential knowledge on project implementation, best practices, reporting requirements, and strategies to mitigate challenges related to implementation.
This workshop is part of the broader implementation of 'Bridging the Gap: Promoting Socioeconomic Inclusion, Social Cohesion, and Peacebuilding for Vulnerable Communities,' a three-year initiative aimed at empowering vulnerable communities. The project focuses on fostering socioeconomic inclusion, enhancing social cohesion, and building resilience against violent extremism.
The project is being implemented in partnership with three regional NGOs: the Center for Advancing Rural Opportunity (CARO) in the Upper West Region, African Students for Interfaith Tolerance (ASFIT) in the North East Region, and Rural Initiatives for Self Empowerment (RISE) in the Upper East Region.
Mr. Aaron Atimpe, National Advisor on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism for the GCERF project, highlighted at the workshop's opening in Tamale that the project aims to promote skills-based employment, improve access to financial resources, and reduce vulnerabilities to recruitment by violent extremist groups.
The workshop serves as a platform for identifying gaps, sharing lessons from baseline findings, and developing practical recommendations for improvement. Mr. Atimpe emphasized that the project seeks to build trust and strengthen relationships among community members, improve access to public services, promote intergroup dialogue, support collaborative community initiatives, and advocate for the rights of marginalized and minority groups.
Additionally, the project aims to raise awareness about violent extremism, foster tolerance, and reinforce local conflict resolution mechanisms. It targets refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, journalists, and other public institutions that are expected to actively participate in and apply the skills gained from the training.
Mr. Atimpe encouraged participants to leverage the workshop to enhance their skills and competencies, thereby maximizing the project's potential.
