By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, March 10, GNA – A validation workshop has been held as part of the Healthy Cities for Adolescents (HCA) project to review activities implemented geared towards the holistic growth and development of adolescents.
The event dubbed: “The Endline Evaluation and Validation of Findings Workshop”, brought together stakeholders and adolescents to evaluate the impact of the project.
The HCA project was implemented by the Regional Institute of Population Studies (RIPS) of the University of Ghana in collaboration with the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA), and the Ashaiman Municipality with support from the Botnar Fondation.
It amongst others sought to build multi – stakeholder consortium with capacity to use evidence-based information for strategic programming that promoted adolescent health and general well-being towards realising the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mrs Clara Lamisi Weobong, Programmes Officer, HCA, Field Office, Tamale, speaking during the workshop in Tamale, said the project had succeeded in stimulating the interest of adolescents in participating in activities on improving their sexual and reproductive health and well-being by actively spearheading several activities including adolescents-led Youth Summit, the incorporation of the HCA network, community outreach durbar on healthy living amongst others.
She said the project had successfully facilitated the training of returnee migrants in various vocations comprising beads making, weaving, soap and detergent making.
She said “Twenty adolescents were enrolled and trained in this phase of the programme and provided with all the start up materials and equipment.”
Mrs Weobong emphasised that “Even though the project targeted all adolescents in the cities, the circumstances of certain categories made it difficult to reach them.”
Mr Sule Salifu, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, who was represented at the workshop, lauded the project saying it rolling out of Tamale toll free call centre for adolescent’s health information and the adolescents health friendly corner at Kpanvu health centre were useful to the public.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mrs Vicentia Aboagye, Northern Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service advised adolescents to endeavour to report any form of abuse meted out to them.
GNA