Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
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Item Microfinance With Education In Rural Ghana: Men’s Perception Of Household Level Impact(African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 2012) Hagan, L.L.; Aryeetey, R.; Colecraft, E.K.; et al.Microcredit schemes have been shown to enhance women’s Income Generation Activities (IGA), household food security, and child nutrition. However, spouses or Male Household Heads (MHH) can influence how women’s loans are invested and how incomes ensuing from the investments are expended. This study describes how MHH perceived and experienced the participation of female caregivers from their household in the Enhancing Child Nutrition through Animal Source Food Management (ENAM) project. The ENAM project was designed as an integrated intervention providing microcredit, entrepreneurship, and nutrition education to women in rural communities in Ghana. Eighty-five MHH of ENAM project caregivers in two regions of Ghana were interviewed about their awareness of the microcredit and education intervention, their involvement in the IGA that the caregivers’ loans were invested in, and their perceptions of the impact of the project on the caregivers’ IGA as well as household and child nutrition. The majority of MHH indicated that they had been consulted by the caregivers about the decision to participate in the ENAM project. The most common reasons given for consenting to the caregivers’ decision to participate in the program were expectations that the caregiver would receive business capital (30.6%), education on optimal child feeding (36.5%), and income to enable caregivers to contribute more to household expenses (31.8%). Concerning the project’s impact, MHH perceived that the caregivers’ project participation had a positive impact on their business practices, particularly concerning improved customer relations. The MHH perceived that caregivers’ incomes increased because they participated in ENAM as evidenced by regular income savings and increased contributions to household food and non-food expenditures. However, MHH reported decreases in their contributions to almost all household expenditure categories in response to the perceived increase in caregivers’ incomes. The MHH also perceived improvements in home meal quality. In summary, MHH credited the ENAM project with improved caregiver’s incomes and increased share of household expenses. However, this outcome resulted in unanticipated declines in MHH contribution to household expenses. Further studies are needed to understand the impact of empowering women through social experiments on households.Item Apprenticeship System of ''Wayside'' Seamstresses From Selected Neighborhoods in Accra.(University of Ghana, 1997-10) Acquaah-Harrison, P.;The purpose of this study was to investigate the apprenticeship system of fifty seamstresses and fifty apprentices from Achimota, Legon and Madina neighbourhoods of Accra. A stratified sampling technique was used to select the respondents from these neighbourhoods. The respondents were interviewed by the researcher, using two separate structured questionnaires: One for the seamstresses and the other for the apprentices. A non-obtrusive observational guide was also used to evaluate teaching/learning interactions at the workshop. Frequency, percentage distribution and cross-tabulation were used to analyze the data. Fathers with low level of education endorsed apprenticeship for their daughters (Ref Appendix VI). The study revealed that the seamstresses were aged between 20 and 40. Their educational attainment ranged from primary six to university. Eighty-two percent had their professional training informally in kiosks while the rest either attended formal vocational training schools or had no formal training in sewing. The apprentices were aged between 15 and 33 years. The educational level of 90% of the apprentices ranged from primary to vocational school. Ten percent had had no formal education. An aspirant apprentice ought to be introduced to a seamstress by a respectable member of her family who would be the guarantor. Apprenticeship fees ranging from 020,000 to 0120,000 were paid for a period of two and a half years apprenticeship, in addition to six months service to sew with the trainer without being paid. The apprenticeship system was devoid of theory work, with an average of seven hours each day spent on some sewing activity. Teaching and learning were through demonstration by the seamstress, observation and practice by the apprentices who most of the time taught one another (peer teaching). Eighty-two percent of the seamstress taught the sewing of slit and kaba and casual wears and eighteen percent taught the sewing of wedding gowns in addition to slit and kaba, using the free hand method of cutting. End of apprenticeship was marked by a final examination. Eighty percent of the apprentices took the Ghana National Tailors/Dressmakers Association (GNTDA) examination. The rest were examined by their trainers who had not registered with the national association. A graduation ceremony was organized in each neighbourhood for the members of GNTDA to cater for an average of two apprentices each from a workshop who completed their service together. Ninety-nine percent of the apprentices aspired to establish their own sewing shop in Accra after training because they were optimistic that business would be better in Accra than in their home towns. It is recommended that, The Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA) in consultation with the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Apprentice Training Board and the Ghana Education Service (GES), develop common syllabus and text books for the Apprenticeship System. Seamstresses should emphasize the importance of fabric grain as well as principles of design as applied in garment design. This would equip the apprentice seamstress with better knowledge in garment design and construction.