By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Dec. 04, GNA – The Community Aid for Rural Development (CARD) Ghana, has held a Mentorship and Leadership Meet-up session with female students of some Senior High and Technical Schools in the Wa Municipality as part of efforts to inspire them to take up leadership positions.
The meet-up session was aimed at encouraging the girls to pursue their dreams and ambitions through regular mentorship sessions with female leaders and mentors.
The CARD-Ghana organised the session as part of the implementation of the She Leads Project in the Wa Municipality in partnership with Plan International Ghana.
The She Leads project is aimed to increase the sustained influence of girls and young women on decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions.
Speaking at the meet-up session in Wa, Ms Ernestina Biney, the Acting Executive Director of CARD-Ghana, expressed the hope that the initiative would help empower the girls and young women to identify themselves as leaders and to aspire for leadership positions.
The mentorship session focused on the topics: “My dream, My Reality, How I made it Happen” and “Campus life, Leadership, Resilience and Perseverance, turning Adversity into Opportunity, Career pathway”.
The mentorship session also featured role play on the struggle encountered by girls in various situations, effects of teenage pregnancy and the effects of Gender-based Violence as well as a dance choreography.
“So, these activities are for them to understand the importance of teamwork, build their confidence level, and develop their public speaking skills”, Ms Biney said told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the event.
The participants were also sensitised on the effects of sexual harassment and forced marriage, sexual and reproductive health, the role of the youth in ensuring peaceful election and importance of girl child education.
Speaking to the participants on sexual harassment, Pognaa Amamata Mumuni, the Girl Child Coordinator at the Wa Municipal Education Directorate, encouraged the girls to report people including teachers who harassed them sexually.
“When a teacher or any other man tries to harass you report the person to your parents.
“You are a student, and they shouldn’t harass you sexually, so report the person to the appropriate quarters,” she advised the students.
Mr Victor Nuworkpor, the Upper West Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, appealed to the students to join the campaign for peace before, during and after the 2024 election.
He said the role of young people in maintaining peace was crucial because they were the people that mostly engage in violence.
The girls, numbering about 300, were drawn from the She Leads Project schools including Wa Senior High Technical School, Wa Technical Institute, Islamic and T. I. Ahmadiyya Senior High Schools.
GNA