The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) under the Mining 4 Peace project supported the empowerment of 53 Ghanaian youth through innovative skills training programs, designed not only to tackle unemployment but also to strengthen community resilience against violent extremism.

Under this initiative, FOSDA led a transformative training session across selected Mining communities in Ashanti and Eastern Region, focusing on practical skills such as Soap Making, Driving, Hairdressing, and Barbering. This program targeted unemployed and underemployed young people, with a special emphasis on empowering women. Out of 53 beneficiaries, 24 young women aged 18 to 35 received hands-on training in Soap Making, learning to produce Shower Gel, Liquid Soap, Shampoo, After Wash, and Bleach. To help kickstart their entrepreneurial journeys, 10 of these women, five each from Obuasi and Manso Adubia, were provided with start-up tool kits, enabling them to launch their own businesses.

The project also supported 27 youth, including nine females, to undergo a three-month driving training program in Obuasi and New Abirim, opening new avenues for employment and economic independence. Others benefited from training in Hairdressing and Barbering, further broadening their prospects for self-reliance.

Through the innovative Mining4Peace project, funded by the Australian High Commission under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and implemented in partnership with the West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE), FOSDA is building the capacity of Civil Society Organizations, youth groups, women, and traditional leaders to prevent and counter violent extremism in mining communities.