1. About GINAN  

GINAN is the national network of organisations involved in infant feeding and nutrition issues. GINAN's efforts at promoting breastfeeding among market women stems from the historical fact that Ghanian market women are very well organised and have their queen mothers and divisional heads which see to the smooth running of the affairs of the market. GINAN is able to reach out to not only urban market women but also to rural women as the marketing system deals with farmers and villagers. 

2. Peer Counseling Services for Market Women in Ghana  

GINAN in collaboration with the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD) organised a training workshop on peer group counseling and breastfeeding promotion for market women in Accra, Ghana in February 1995. 

Though most market women prefer to bring their babies to the market with them, it does not guarantee exclusive breastfeeding. Many mothers believe that their breast milk cannot adequately meet the babies' nutritional needs and hence the use of infant formula is widespread. The problem is further aggravated by bottle-feeding having achieved a status symbol and also because of industry's aggressive promotion of artificial milks. In fact, the market women are the main distributors of infant formula in Ghana. Because of the nature of their trade, the market women do not avail themselves of the breastfeeding counseling services available in hospitals and maternity homes, and because of high rate of illiteracy they have very little access to information about the benefits of breastfeeding.  

3. Aims & Objectives  

Hence, the main objective of this project was to provide peer counseling services and to make the market place a baby-friendly environment. It aims to train market women as key promoters of breastfeeding in the market place to provide on the spot counseling services to their breastfeeding colleagues. The purpose of this is to increase awareness and knowledge of nutritional, emotional and contraceptive importance of breastfeeding. 

4. Project Implementation  

Prior to the training workshop, a series of consultative meetings were held with the local executives of the NCWD. This is a government agency responsible for mobilisation of women for development and has extensive experience working with market women. A baseline survey was also conducted in these two markets through interviews with opinion leaders to determine the breastfeeding patterns in the markets and the sanitation as well as the marketing practices of artificial baby food manufacturers' in the markets. 

The duration of the training workshop was one week in which 13 women from two big markets from Accra metropolis participated. The training involved communication and counseling skills, financial and environmental implications of breastfeeding. It taught the economic implications of breastfeeding, and to encourage mothers to exclusively breast feed for six months to avoid early supplementary food and to continue breastfeeding up to two years. It also included the advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding, common problems faced by nursing mothers. The participants were prepared to provide on-the-spot counseling services to their colleagues in the market. They were also encouraged to start mother support groups in the markets and communities, and to sensitize participants to campaign against making the market a dumping ground for artificial milk. The closing ceremony of the workshop was as important as it helped to attract important guests including the deputy government minister who was the guest speaker. The coverage in national newspapers helped to promote breastfeeding countrywide. 

5. Evaluation  

One of the main problems the project faced was time. The market women were busy most of the time. In the face of stiff competition, they hardly found time even for a talk. Hence sometimes, the discussion had to take place in their homes.  

6. Achievements  

The training workshop enabled the formation of two mother support groups by trainees. In one of the markets, the trained peer counselors in collaboration with a clinic, now provides advice to pregnant and nursing mothers. A committee was formed by the trainees to work with the associations of market women to inform traders about the hazards of infant formula. It also enabled them to improve the cleanliness of their market place through proper waste disposal. The project is also supported by the Federation of Market Association, a body which co-ordinates the activities of the market women. This has allowed the maximum participation of the market women. In addition the support of women's organisations like NCWD helped in giving it credibility because of government support.