Integrated Projects Center

Project: Fish-drying Structure Development
Problem: Fish is typically dried on the ground after harvesting. This creates a problem for fishmongers planning to sell fish in the markets because of the exposure of the fish to contaminants from animals.

Innovative Solution: Drying structures were constructed for fish drying to avoid animal contamination.

Location: The fish smoking infrastructure was installed in three communities:
Ayisa in Elmina, Central Region, Ghana
Ekon in Cape Coast, Central Region, Ghana
Moree in Abura/Asebu/Kwamankese District, Central Region, Ghana

Funding: This project was partially by the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana.

Project: Fish Smoking Infrastructure Development
Problem: Women fishmongers have no access to cold storage facilities to preserve fish.

Innovative Solution: Smoking sheds were developed to enable fishmongers to use new technology to smoke the fish.

Funding: This project was partially funded by the French Embassy in Ghana and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Project: Planting of 30 Acres of Acacia Trees
Problem: Women lack firewood for fish smoking.

Innovative Solution: Acacia trees were planted on a 30 acre plot of land in Sanka.

Location: Sanka, Elmina, Central Region, Ghana

Funding: This project was partially funded by the French Embassy in Ghana and Ashoka.

Project: Bakery Training Center
Problem: Lack of training centers prevents many women and girls from gaining skills to find employment.

Innovative Solution: A bakery training center was developed to teach young women to bake snacks and pasteries to sell at the local markets.

Location: Elmina, Central Region, Ghana

Funding: This project was partially funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Project: Basic School for Children of Fishmongers
Problem: Local schools in the central region are located several kilometers away from fish smoking sites. This created a major transportation problem for children of fishmongers to attend local schools. Many of the children of fishmongers were unable to attend school due to the long distance between local schools and fish smoking sites.

Innovative Solution: A basic school was established for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years old at the fish smoking sites to enable children of fishmongers to attend school. This basic school drastically reduced the burden placed on women fishmongers to transport their children to school.

Location: Ayisa, Elmina, Central Region, Ghana

Funding: This project was partially funded by the French Embassy in Ghana.

Project: Pipe-born Water Construction
Problem: Women in fishmonger communities lack access to clean water.

Innovative Solution: Pipe-born was extended from Elmina to Ayisa region.

Location: Ayisa, Elmina, Central Region, Ghana

Funding: This project was partially funded by private donations to CEWEFIA.

Project: Information Centers for Advocacy Work
Problem: Young women lack education and resources on family life and planning, including the prevention of teenage pregnancy, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), abortion, maternal and child malnutrition.

Innovative Solution: Information centers were established to broadcast information to communities surrounding Ayisa.

Location: Communities surrounding Ayisa, Elmina, Central Region, Ghana

Funding: This project was partially funded by Ashoka.

Project: Housing Development for Women Fishmongers
Problem: Women fishmongers in the western region were forced to move out of an unsafe settlement due to a lack of water, electricity, and safe housing.

Innovative Solution: A housing development was constructed with access to electricity, lighting, bathrooms and water for use by a community of women fishmongers near Sekondi, Western Region, Ghana.

Location: Communities surrounding Sekondi, Westernl Region, Ghana

Funding: This project was partially funded by Ashoka.