Madam Barikisu and her Apprenticeship Programs for Teens

Madam Barikisu and her apprenticeship programs for teens

In the Ahafo Ano North District of the Ashanti region of Ghana, lies the Numesua community. This region is known for its small-scale mining activities called ‘Galamsey’. An economic turnaround in the late 2010s made this once benign community a hotspot for school dropouts, teenage pregnancy, and teen motherhood.   

Often, these teen moms are migrant girls from the northern regions of Ghana. The problem worsened in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown. 

It’s in this community that Barikisu, a seamstress, and a mother of three lives and works. She is passionate about protecting and mentoring teen mothers, and known for her willingness do whatever it takes to protect these young women. Her mission lies in giving teen moms a chance to take ownership for their lives and their children and form a brighter future. 

Starting with three girls in 2016, Madam Barikisu began an apprenticeship program for teen mothers. Her model includes free admission, vocational training and a serious and intentional commitment on the part of the trainee. “I was a teen mother myself… now, I train these girls for free because young girls also deserve a chance to correct their mistakes.” 

In 2017, through the VisionFund group loan, Madam Barikisu was able to secure a loan to buy three butterfly sewing machines and tables to aid the apprenticeship program. Now, if any teen mother in the community wants to learn, all she has to do is walk in and ask to start, without the issue of having to bring her own sewing machine. Eliminating this friction point for her trainees, five years into her initiative, Barikisu has trained 21 apprentices (two men and 19 women). 

Currently in her ninth loan cycle, Madam Barikisu has been able to buy 11 eleven butterfly sewing machines through group loans. Through VisionFund, some of her apprentices have also received loans to to help make ends meet. “If they didn’t become financially independent, they would overly depend on men, and you know what would happen..” Barikisu says. 

“My children are young. I may not spend so much on their education now; but if these apprentices are able to find their feet on solid grounds, they can treat themselves with respect.” 

To sustain her initiative while paying back her loans, Madam Barikisu has started a rice farm project with her apprentices. 

Story by: Abban Enoch Johnson, VisionFund Ghana