Young women in Ghana are often burdened by the poverty of their parents and forced to sell things on the street in order to support them financially. After their primary education, which is free, they often go to the cities looking for non-existent work. Many of them end up in the hands of criminals and become dependent on them and are often abused. Their sense of shame prevents them from returning to their parents and eventually they end up as street girls and the circle of poverty continues.

These young girls want to work but dont have the education, access to vocational training and financial means to make this happen.

The Western Girls Training Centre (WGTC) was established to help these young women between 14 and 18 years stay in their villages by giving them education, training in manufacturing textiles, sewing work clothing and batik making.

WGTC is a foundation with its financial and administrative office in The Netherlands and the training centre located in Apowa, a small village near Takoradi on the western coast of Ghana. It is a registered foundation in The Netherlands and Ghana. The Foundation WGTC is staffed by volunteers in The Netherlands and has one paid staff member in Ghana. All money donated or generated from sales goes towards the teachers salary and operating costs of the training centre.

- We started in a garage and now have a piece of land with a school;
- We have a private well and the school has toilet / shower and electricity;
- Students graduated and they work independently;
- Idea and production of Recycled Big Shoppingbag;
- Production of tool bags;
- Students discover self-worth by religion and how to perform themselves.

Our next goal is the construction of a kitchen and water with enough pressure.