When I started the Kute-Buem Women’s Group I didn’t just want the women to work… I wanted this group of women to learn various skills, understand new ideas, and help promote a better Ghana for these women who are the change agents.

The first skill that I wanted them to learn was proper bookkeeping/money management/finances. If this group is going to generating income then they need to know how to keep the books. But I didn’t just want this training to go towards the sewing project or the farming project, I wanted these women to take proper money management and apply it to their own life, to a business they may have.

I called upon another PCV who could teach these women the best way to keep the books, and how to best apply this to not only the Women’s Group but to their own lives. I got 9 out of my 15 women to come (I would say a pretty good turn out for non meeting day) the chalkboard was pulled out and the basic bookkeeping lesson was started. Two out of the nine have bank accounts (normally the cloth that the women wrap around themselves is the bank… if it’s not tied up in this corner, than maybe its in this corner…). A ledger was drawn up on the board and we started discussing the importance of keeping records. We then went over how to keep the records, and what everything in the ledger means.

The women were enthusiastic about learning how to monitor their expenses. Successful meeting I would say!

giving the talk