Accra, March 9, GNA – Teen Talk Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation with focus on adolescent health, has equipped 244 young women with digital skills amid COVID-19.
Ms Linat Osman, the Executive Director of the Organisation, said this was done over the past five months through its “Girl go Digital” project with sponsorship from the United States Embassy in Ghana.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, she said the project was initiated in her community in the Upper West Region using education and technology to lead the change.
Ms Osman said COVID-19 presented a worst scenario with most organisations going digital, which made it more important for women to be equipped with digital skills.
“The project offers young women between age 12 to 25 years the opportunity to learn Mobile/Web development and robotics (IOT) targeted at bridging the widened gap of gender inequality in STEM related careers,” she said.
Ms Osman said as the Executive Director, she had provided strategic leadership that had transformed Teen Talk Ghana into one of the leading local non-governmental organisations championing the rights of girls and empowering young women and teenagers in the northern part of Ghana.
Mr Isaiah Sankye, the Programmes Coordinator, Teen Talk Ghana, said as the world marked the International Women’s Day, Teen Talk Ghana celebrated Ms Osman for being an astute advocate, having risen to the challenge in contributing to bridge the gap of gender inequality in her society.
He said she was a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow (Obama Initiative) and in May 2016, Ms Osman participated in the Women Deliver Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she contributed to various round table discussions on reproductive health and menstrual hygiene.
Mr Sankye said the activist had carved a niche for herself in the area of social mobilisation advocacy and behaviour change communication.
“Her back to school teen mother project got nominated for the MTN Heroes of change programme and was among the final ten of the MTN Heroes of Change in 2018 (a programme to reward social change agents in Ghana),” he said.
Mr Sankye said as a professional teacher, Ms Osman had always used her position to encourage young people, especially girls, to learn French as a foreign language, saying: “She believes that educated girls are empowered women.”
GNA