By Solomon Gumah, GNA
Tamale, April 06, GNA – The Cohort Six of the Female Leadership and Mentorship Academy (FLMA) has been launched in Tamale, to equip young women with the requisite leadership skills to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The initiative, being implemented by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana) in partnership with Plan International, seeks to empower young girls and women across Northern Ghana with leadership, entrepreneurial and career advancement skills.
Ms Fatimata Abdul-Rasheed, the Project Lead for FLMA, who presented the overview and objectives of the initiative during the launch, said the academy was designed to equip participants with strategic leadership competencies, career guidance and decision-making skills to enable them to actively participate in governance and development processes.
She explained that the programme, which was being funded by Plan International under the Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) Project, built on earlier interventions implemented between 2021 and 2023 under the Women Empowerment for Leadership and Action for Development (Women-LEAD) Project.
Ms Abdul-Rasheed noted that over the past five years, the Academy had trained over 750 mentees, with more than 100 of them taking up student leadership positions while about 30 had assumed roles traditionally reserved for men excelling in their positions and contributing significantly to society.
She added that the initiative had expanded from one institution to about 28 tertiary institutions across the country, supported by more than 130 female mentors from Ghana, the United States and the United Kingdom.
She said the current cohort had attracted over 300 mentees from 27 institutions including Tamale Technical University, University for Development Studies, University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, Nursing Training Colleges and other professional institutions.
Ms Abdul-Rasheed explained that the six-month mentorship programme, scheduled from April to September, would focus on leadership development, career guidance, and entrepreneurship alongside cross-cutting themes such as gender equity, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, communication skills, networking, environmental awareness, financial literacy and emotional intelligence.
She outlined the structure of the programme indicating that the first two weeks would focus on cross-cutting issues, followed by a 10-week intensive mentorship phase, where mentees would specialise in chosen areas, and a final project phase involving community service.
She said outstanding projects would be shortlisted, with the best five receiving sponsorship support.
Ms Abdul-Rasheed noted that mentees would be required to attend at least 80 per cent of all sessions, actively engage with mentors, and provide evidence of participation to qualify for graduation.
She said mentors, on the other hand, were expected to hold at least four sessions monthly with mentees including one physical meeting, while providing professional guidance and supporting mentees to complete their projects.
SWIDA-Ghana would provide orientation, periodic monitoring and logistical support including meeting spaces where necessary, she added.
Alhaji Ibrahim Taimako, a retired educationist, who delivered a keynote address, underscored the importance of mentorship in nurturing ethical leaders for national development.
He urged participants to uphold discipline, hard work, and resilience, describing those values as critical to achieving success and making meaningful contributions to society.
Madam Blessila Naa-Afoe Kandoh, a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Specialist, highlighted the critical role of female leadership in driving inclusive national development.
She encouraged the mentees to cultivate perseverance and determination to influence positive change in their communities.
Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, the Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana said the FLMA initiative continued to serve as a strategic platform for nurturing the next generation of female leaders, especially in Northern Ghana where the need for inclusive participation in decision-making remained critical.
She expressed appreciation to Plan International Ghana and Global Affairs Canada for their continuous support towards women and girls’ empowerment especially for the FLMA over the years.
Ms Rahina Abdul Rahman, a beneficiary of the Cohort Four mentorship programme, said the academy had transformed her perspective on leadership enabling her to focus on impact and positive influence.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/ Christabel Addo