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Some of the women going through the breast cancer screening at Sang
Some of the women going through the breast cancer screening at Sang

RAINS organises breast cancer screening for women's groups in Sang

Global statistics indicate that about 1.7 million women are diagnosed of breast cancer yearly with about 500,000, representing 28 per cent dying from the disease.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease is believed to be high in low and middle income countries.

In Ghana, for instance, breast cancer has been identified as the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the country, with about 2,900 cases being diagnosed annually and at least one of eight women with the disease dying.

However, as part of measures to fight the disease and also raise awareness about it, the Regional Advisory information and Network System (RAINS), a Tamale-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has organised a breast cancer screening exercise for some women’s groups in Sang in the Mion District of the Northern Region.

VSLA

The breast cancer screening exercise was done when RAINS joined members of the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) in Sang in the Mion District to share their contributions.

The VSLA is a system where a group of women numbering more than 15 but less than 30 come together to save and take small loans from those savings.
The activities of the group run in cycles of one year, after which the accumulated savings and the loan profits are distributed to members.

Rationale

The purpose of a VSLA is to provide simple savings and loan facilities in a community that does not have easy access to formal financial services.

Speaking at the ‘share-out’ ceremony for the contributory women, the Deputy Programme Manager of (RAINS), Madam Wedad Sayibu commended the women for striving to raise their own capital to start their businesses without resorting to bank loans.

She expressed happiness that the project had enabled many members of the VSLA to support their children’s education financially.

She said the VSLA project had enabled members of the project to become financially empowered and economically independent.

Advice

The Country Director of Canadian Feed The Children (CFTC), Susan Watkins expressed the hope that the project would help the women in the community to start their own business.

She, however, admonished the women to increase their contributions in order to receive fat shares during their share-out ceremonies.

Ms Watkins also appealed to financial institutions in the district and the Mion District Assembly to design programmes that would enable women in the district to raise their own capital.

Members of the Sang VSLA contributed GH¢ 7,0093.00.

However, members of the VSLA used part of their contributions to buy two packets of roofing sheet for the Al-Zakaria Islamic School.




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