Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aseda Foundation, Diana Adjei, has revealed that the organisation has trained more than 14,500 people across 13 regions of Ghana over the past 25 years, providing free vocational skills training and startup support to young people and adults.
Speaking on Springboard Hangout with host Comfort Ocran, Madam Adjei recounted how the foundation began in 1999 from a small kiosk in Takoradi, where she started training young women in hairdressing at no cost. According to her, many of the young women she encountered were seeking income and direction in life, and she felt compelled to act.
“I told them I would teach them for free, without charging them anything,” she said, adding that she made a personal decision from the very first day not to take money from trainees. The initiative, which started as a beauty training centre, has since expanded into a full-scale vocational training foundation offering 28 trades, including masonry, carpentry, tiling, fabrication, welding and catering.
In 2017, the foundation scaled up its operations by collaborating with over 220 master craftsmen in the Western Region to train young people free of charge. The same year, Madam Diana Adjei submitted a proposal to the GNPC Foundation to support the programme with certification and tools.
Through the partnership, trainees now sit for National Vocational Training Institute examinations and receive certification, along with startup tools to enable them to establish their own businesses. “Training alone is not enough,” she stated. “Some people would finish learning a skill but still go back to selling on the streets because they didn’t have money to start a shop.”
According to her, the foundation trains an average of about 2,000 people each year. In 2025, 2,550 people were trained, bringing the total number of beneficiaries under the GNPC partnership to approximately 14,500 nationwide.
Madam Adjei also emphasised the foundation’s commitment to inclusion, stating that there is no age limit for trainees and that persons with disabilities are fully integrated into the programme. She disclosed that last year, more than 100 persons with disabilities were trained in areas such as mushroom farming, snail farming and soap making, and were provided with startup kits.
Currently operating in 13 regions, the foundation continues to extend its reach while seeking to establish a stronger presence in the remaining regions. “I don’t want a situation where young people must sell small items just to raise money before they can begin their trade,” she said, appealing to individuals and organisations to support the vision of creating sustainable pathways from training to employment.
About Springboard Hangout
Springboard Hangout is a funducative, youth-centred show hosted by Comfort Ocran. It features inspiring stories, practical skills and real-life experiences aimed at educating, entertaining and equipping the next generation. The programme airs every Saturday at 4:00 PM on Joy Prime TV and on the Springboard Channel on Facebook and YouTube